"The agricultural industry sprays about 8m pounds of antibiotic and antifungal pesticides on US food crops annually, many of which are banned in other countries. The overuse of antibiotics, which are essential to treating human disease, as pesticides on fruits and vegetables threatens public health because it can lead to superbug bacteria that are antibiotic-resistant. Similarly, overuse of antifungal pesticides can lead to fungal infections that are less treatable with medical currently available drugs, the groups say."
"The CDC has linked medically important antibiotics that the EPA has approved for pesticide use on crops to antibiotic resistance in bacteria, increased risk of staph infections and increased risk of MRSA. Documents that the Center for Biological Diversity obtained via Freedom of Information Act request show a 2017 CDC study raised concerns about the risks in expanding the use of antibiotics on citrus crops."
A legal petition by public health and farm worker groups requests that the EPA stop allowing farms to spray antibiotics on food crops because the practice likely promotes superbugs and sickens farm workers. The agricultural industry applies about 8 million pounds of antibiotic and antifungal pesticides to US food crops each year, including agents banned elsewhere. Use of medically important antibiotics as pesticides can select for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and undermine human disease treatment. Overuse of antifungal pesticides can foster fungal infections less treatable with current medical drugs. CDC data and FOIA-released documents cite concerns about expanded antibiotic use on crops and links to increased resistance and infections.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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