FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, June 13, 2008

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-4696

COMMISSIONER FARMER ANNOUNCES KENTUCKY
IS NOT THE SOURCE OF SALMONELLA OUTBREAK

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has added Kentucky to the list of states whose tomatoes are not affected by the recent salmonella outbreak.

“I am pleased that the FDA has cleared Kentucky from any involvement in the outbreak,” Commissioner Farmer said. “Consumers can serve Kentucky Proud tomatoes to their families with the confidence that those tomatoes have been raised with the greatest care.”

The FDA has expanded its list of places not linked to the salmonella outbreak to 35 states, part of Florida, Puerto Rico and six foreign countries. The agency has advised consumers to avoid consuming raw red plum, raw red Roma and raw round red tomatoes from states that are not on the list. The FDA has linked those varieties to 167 cases of salmonellosis reported since mid-April.

Field tomatoes from Kentucky typically are available from mid-July to mid-October.

Last year the state and the University of Kentucky launched the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) program to educate fruit and vegetable growers and processors on best practices for growing, transporting and handling produce to minimize the risk of food contamination. Since the program started, 855 Kentucky producers have been trained on GAP principles.

Earlier this week Commissioner Farmer and other southern state agriculture commissioners called on the FDA to reform its procedures for addressing a disease outbreak and seek help from states to pinpoint the source of the outbreak. They complained the FDA’s statements had made it impossible for their growers to sell good tomatoes that are not affected by the outbreak.

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