Florida tomato industry in 'complete collapse'

[FrankRep]

Florida tomato industry in 'complete collapse'

Reuters
Jun 10, 2008


MIAMI (Reuters) - Florida's tomato industry is in "complete collapse" and $40 million worth of tomatoes will rot unless federal regulators quickly trace the source of a salmonella outbreak and clear the state's produce, an industry official said on Tuesday.

"We probably have $40 million worth of product we can't sell. We've had to stop packing, stop picking," said Reggie Brown, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Saturday warned U.S. consumers that the outbreak was linked to eating certain raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes, and products containing these tomatoes. Several major restaurant and grocery chains have stopped selling those varieties.

"It fundamentally shut down the industry," he said. "The stuff that should have been harvested over the weekend won't survive more than another day or so. The stuff we have in storage is getting riper every minute and at some point it will have to be disposed of."

Florida is the largest tomato-producing state, with a crop valued at $500 million to $700 million annually, he said. The state produces more than 90 percent of the nation's tomatoes this time of year, Brown said.

The FDA has said that it is safe to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached. But those varieties account for only a tiny portion of the industry, Brown said.

The FDA has said it does not know where the contaminated tomatoes originated.

The infections have struck most often in New Mexico and Texas.
...

SOURCE:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topN...?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true

 

[orafi]

If I wanted a tomato and I lived in Florida I'd buy it anyway.

What's wrong with cooking them?

The FDA is full of jackasses.

 

[amy31416]

If I wanted a tomato and I lived in Florida I'd buy it anyway.

What's wrong with cooking them?

The FDA is full of jackasses.

I, for one, don't like stewed tomatoes on my sandwiches or in my salad. They might be right on this one--glad I'm growing tomatoes this year.

 

[brandon]

Don't worry tomato industry. The Federal Reserve will print 40 million dollars and lend it to the fedgov, who will then subsidize your industry. Everything will work out OK.

 

[Dr.3D]

I for one, would like to know why we have had so many problems with vegetables lately.
Is somebody going around putting germs on the produce? What has changed since I was a kid when at that time we didn't have these problems?

 

[Drknows]

I for one, would like to know why we have had so many problems with vegetables lately.
Is somebody going around putting germs on the produce? What has changed since I was a kid when at that time we didn't have these problems?

Probably the new types of fertilizer and pesticides they put on crops.

I lived on a farm for awhile i became deathly sick numerous times during the growing season. specifically right after they spray the fields. One night when i slept with the window open the farmer next to us sprayed his field and i had one of my lungs collapse.

I'm glad i moved back to the city where i belong.

 

[LiveFree79]

Probably the new types of fertilizer and pesticides they put on crops.

I lived on a farm for awhile i became deathly sick numerous times during the growing season. specifically right after they spray the fields. One night when i slept with the window open the farmer next to us sprayed his field and i had one of my lungs collapse.

I'm glad i moved back to the city where i belong.

The reason you didn't have these problems a long time (50's 60's) ago was because commercial/corporate farming was in its early stages. Everything is done on such a massive scale nowadays. Many of these "outbreaks" of salmonella contaminated produce is because farmers are using dirty water to irrigate their crops. Most of it is non-potable recycle sewage water.

 

[dsentell]

I for one, would like to know why we have had so many problems with vegetables lately.
Is somebody going around putting germs on the produce? What has changed since I was a kid when at that time we didn't have these problems?

I wonder if things really are different . . .

Maybe there is more contamination of produce. Then again, maybe there is not.

It could be that back in the day when we were kids, we just didn't hear about a few people in New Mexico getting sick from eating tomatoes. A few people got sick, they didn't know why, we never knew about it and continued to eat them . . . .

There also seems to be a modern day panic over everything. 100 million pounds of ground beef are sold, 10 people reportedly get sick from it and so all 100 million pounds have to be removed from the market . . . .

 

[Dr.3D]

Probably the new types of fertilizer and pesticides they put on crops.

I lived on a farm for awhile i became deathly sick numerous times during the growing season. specifically right after they spray the fields. One night when i slept with the window open the farmer next to us sprayed his field and i had one of my lungs collapse.

I'm glad i moved back to the city where i belong.

LOL, I live right across the road from a dairy farm. When they spread the manure on the fields, I catch wind of it and say to my sons, "for lands sake". Some days, it smells just like the insecticide/herbicide isle at the hardware store. I am surrounded by fields where they are growing, corn, wheat, soybeans and sugar beets. Sometimes I wonder just how dangerous it is when the wind is just right and I smell that smell.

 

[LibertyOfOne]

There goes the FDA again pissing on the lively hood of farmers.

 

[freelance]

I for one, would like to know why we have had so many problems with vegetables lately.
Is somebody going around putting germs on the produce? What has changed since I was a kid when at that time we didn't have these problems?

Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that they're hell bent on passing some regulation that requires irradiating ALL fruits and vegetables???

 

[dsentell]

Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that they're hell bent on passing some regulation that requires irradiating ALL fruits and vegetables???

Boy, that sure could be, or bioengineering something for us to eat that would be resistant to all these contaminants ???

 

[FrankRep]

Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that they're hell bent on passing some regulation that requires irradiating ALL fruits and vegetables???

I remember that news story. Could you find it real quick?

This event will lead to all fruits and vegetables be radiated by law for "your protection."

 

[LittleLightShining]

I for one, would like to know why we have had so many problems with vegetables lately.
Is somebody going around putting germs on the produce? What has changed since I was a kid when at that time we didn't have these problems?

Ok, seriously, here's my theory. It's not pretty. These diseases, especially E.Coli, are caused by farm workers defecating in the fields.

Then there is also the spreading of raw manure on fields.

 

[amy31416]

 

[Zippyjuan]

There goes the FDA again pissing on the lively hood of farmers.

Do you think that the FDA should stop trying to make sure our food supply is safe? The contamination could occur at any point along the production chain- from fertilizer (if they are using organic like manure instead of chemical ones) to a farm worker relieving himself in the field because there was no toilet nearby to the processing plant that washes and slices the tomatos (it appears to be only sliced tomatos) reusing contaminated water. WIth modern mass production techniques, it is much easier to spread contaminants than before when smaller amounts were handled at a time. Last year it was spinach.

Contaminations have been around for a very long time- testing and information is much higher now so more is found, identified, and announced.

As a consumer, just wash your vegetables before you use them and you should be fine.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

Don't worry tomato industry. The Federal Reserve will print 40 million dollars and lend it to the fedgov, who will then subsidize your industry. Everything will work out OK.

LOL! nice one... probably more like $100 Million after the devaluation of the dollar and graft to 'Friends & Family' of the politicians.

TACO BELL, McDonalds, etc have discontinued the use of tomatoes on their respective products.

Right now it looks like they're narrowing in down to the TOMATOES form Mexico

IMAGINE THAT! so add on $25 million a year of Taxpayers money to regulate Mexico's produce industry.

 

[pcosmar]

Has the possibility of Mexican crops come up?
Over the past few years several salmonella outbreaks have been traced to Mexico.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=mexican+crop+salmonella+contamination&btnG=Search

 

[Grimnir Wotansvolk]

What has changed since I was a kid when at that time we didn't have these problems?

Hip-hop and video games.

 

[amy31416]

What's strange to me is that this is salmonella, which is typically a poultry/raw eggs problem.

I think the farm industry is creating a parallel superbug problem by overusing antibiotics, just like doctors often do in people. Perhaps the bacteria that are normally killed have gained resistance and found it's way into the tomato fields via manure.

That said, alcohol kills salmonella, just drink a big swig of vodka with your salad.