Tomato Growers Fire Back

Saying sales of their crops are still down 30 to 40 percent, Florida tomato growers are lining up congressional support to seek restitution for millions of dollars in losses linked to the nation's salmonella outbreak.

"We believe it is maybe $100 million or more in Florida," said J. Luis Rodriguez, trade adviser for Florida Farmers Inc. in Lake Worth.

Rodriguez said Thursday that Florida growers, many with multistate operations, plan to work with members of Congress such as Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Panama City, to seek an appropriation. He expects it will take about six weeks to document and tally the losses.

"We will go that route rather than sue the FDA," Rodriguez said. "We hope the government recognizes that the FDA really, really screwed up and these growers are entitled to compensation.

"They basically threw the crop under the bus."

The Food and Drug Administration expanded its salmonella advisory nationwide June 7, warning consumers not to eat red plum, red Roma or red round tomatoes unless they came from approved areas. Since April, 1,065 people infected with the same strain of the salmonella Saintpaul bacterium have been identified in 42 states, the District of Columbia and Canada, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The FDA and CDC expanded their suspect list from tomatoes alone this week to include raw jalapeño peppers, raw serrano peppers and fresh cilantro.

Since the government warning, many retailers and restaurants pulled tomatoes, and some consumers began to avoid even those deemed safe.

Source: Palm Beach Post