By Johanna D. Wilson, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Jul. 3–While the Food and Drug Administration expands its investigation of the nation’s salmonella outbreak beyond tomatoes, area farmers said business continues to be brisk for homegrown tomatoes.
“I can hardly keep my tomatoes,” said Wanda Bellamy, of Bellamy Farms in Loris, where the average customer is buying at least five pounds of tomatoes. “They have been going, and our customers don’t care how they look. They don’t care if they have spots or anything on them. They just want them to be homegrown, which ours are, and they want them to taste good, which ours do.”
Tomatoes harvested and grown in the Carolinas are deemed safe to eat by the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA announced Tuesday that its probe of the salmonella outbreak would expand to items commonly served with fresh tomatoes.
Dr. David Acheson, the FDA food safety chief, would not say what types of produce will be included in the investigation.
“Tomatoes aren’t off the hook,” Acheson said. “It’s just that there is clearly a need to think beyond tomatoes.”
Thus far, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified 869 people in 36 states who have been infected with salmonella.
The CDC said the illness began between April 10 and June 20, with 179 individuals becoming ill on June 1 or later.
That’s why some folks who love tomatoes have refused to eat them, even if they are grown by local farmers.
“Some people are shying off from them,” said Keith Elliott, owner of Elliott’s Farm in the Duford community of Horry County, who has grown about an acre of tomatoes this season.
Eva Jensen, a Garden City Beach resident, said she only eats tomatoes she grows.
“I have been growing my own tomatoes for about 50 years,” said Jensen, who eats them fresh and makes sauce. “Once you have grown your own tomatoes, the others taste like cardboard.”
Nevertheless, plenty of folks are keeping area farmers busy by buying local tomatoes.
“They are coming here and running us raggedy,” said Lillie Holmes, who owns Cad’s Produce, along with her husband, Cad, in Myrtle Beach. “I am so tired.”
Holmes is also happy, and she is not alone.
However, area growers said they realized some tomato farmers around the nations are having a hard time.
David Holden, owner of Holden Brothers Farm Market in Shallotte, N.C., said he sympathizes with producers affected by the salmonella outbreak.
“I feel sorry for the farmers who have lost millions of dollars because of unsold product,” said Holden, who added his tomatoes are selling steadily.
For now, the FDA continues to urge consumers nationwide to avoid raw red plum, red Roma or red round tomatoes unless they were grown in specific states or countries that the agency has cleared of suspicion. Also safe are grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached.
“As long as they are not shipped in, people are buying them,” said Lora Curry of Tyler’s Produce in Conway, where her father, L.D. Tyler, 77, works daily.
Martin Eubanks, director of marketing for the S.C. Department of Agriculture, said the state’s local tomato sales have remained solid.
“Our tomatoes have been good because we are a clear state,” Eubanks said. “Our products have not been related to any of the salmonella.”
Last Friday, North Carolina had Tomato Day at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh.
The state provided homegrown and harvested tomatoes, mayonnaise and bread so folks could feast on tomato sandwiches.
And they did.
“We probably gave away at least 400 tomato sandwiches,” said Monica Wood, marketing specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “I had to have one, too. There is nothing like a good tomato sandwich in the summertime.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
—–
To see more of The Sun News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.MyrtleBeachOnline.com
Copyright (c) 2008, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Comments