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A newly filed regulatory appeal from a dozen health advocacy and agricultural labor coalitions is calling for the Environmental Protection Agency to cease allowing the spraying of antibiotics on food crops across the United States, pointing to antibiotic-resistant spread and illnesses to agricultural workers.

Agricultural Industry Uses Millions of Pounds of Antimicrobial Pesticides

The farming industry applies around 8m lbs of antimicrobial and fungicidal treatments on American food crops annually, with several of these chemicals restricted in international markets.

“Every year Americans are at increased threat from dangerous microbes and illnesses because medical antibiotics are sprayed on crops,” said a public health advocate.

Antibiotic Resistance Creates Significant Public Health Dangers

The excessive use of antimicrobial drugs, which are vital for treating medical conditions, as agricultural chemicals on produce threatens population health because it can lead to antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Similarly, overuse of antifungal pesticides can lead to fungal diseases that are harder to treat with existing pharmaceuticals.

• Drug-resistant diseases impact about 2.8 million people and lead to about 35,000 deaths per year.
• Health agencies have associated “clinically significant antimicrobials” approved for crop application to antibiotic resistance, increased risk of pathogenic diseases and increased risk of MRSA.

Ecological and Health Effects

Additionally, consuming antibiotic residues on food can disrupt the digestive system and increase the likelihood of long-term illnesses. These agents also taint drinking water supplies, and are believed to damage pollinators. Typically poor and minority farm workers are most exposed.

Common Antibiotic Pesticides and Industry Practices

Farms use antimicrobials because they kill bacteria that can harm or destroy produce. Among the popular antibiotic pesticides is streptomycin, which is commonly used in clinical treatment. Estimates indicate approximately 125,000 pounds have been applied on domestic plants in a one year.

Citrus Industry Pressure and Regulatory Action

The formal request comes as the Environmental Protection Agency faces pressure to expand the application of medical antimicrobials. The bacterial citrus greening disease, spread by the vector, is devastating orange groves in Florida.

“I recognize their desperation because they’re in difficult circumstances, but from a broader point of view this is certainly a no-brainer – it cannot happen,” Donley stated. “The fundamental issue is the significant problems generated by applying human medicine on produce far outweigh the crop issues.”

Other Methods and Future Prospects

Experts recommend simple farming actions that should be tested first, such as increasing plant spacing, cultivating more hardy types of plants and identifying sick crops and rapidly extracting them to stop the diseases from propagating.

The legal appeal gives the Environmental Protection Agency about five years to answer. Several years ago, the organization banned a chemical in response to a comparable regulatory appeal, but a legal authority overturned the regulatory action.

The regulator can enact a ban, or has to give a explanation why it refuses to. If the regulator, or a later leadership, does not act, then the coalitions can file a lawsuit. The procedure could require over ten years.

“We are engaged in the long game,” Donley stated.