Trade Group Urges House Panel To Hold Hearings On Salmonella Outbreak
(Irvine, CA) -- The House Committee on Agriculture is being urged by the group Western Growers to hold hearings on the recent salmonella outbreak. Reports of the illness are being associated with fresh, red round, roma and plum tomatoes. Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers, says while the source of the outbreak has not been defined, "tomato growers across the nation are suffering irreparable harm." Nassif went on to say it's possible it may never be definitely determined if tomatoes are the source of the outbreak. He said his trade group looks forward to working with the House panel for balancing the "goals of protecting public health and agricultural economies." Western Growers is comprised of members from Arizona and California who grow, pack and ship a total of about half the nation's produce. |