Cafe Talk | Talking Points Memo | When Tomatoes = Pork (CDC + FDA = FU

When Tomatoes = Pork (CDC + FDA = FU

By MsJoanne - July 26, 2008, 4:27PM

The Wall Street Journal reports that Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-FL) plans to introduce legislation to give tomato growers and shippers $100 million in compensation for their losses due to the recent salmonella outbreak.

The WSJ states that the FDA has listed its ban on the tainted vegetable, while the CDC says that there still may be more cases not yet reported which resulted from tomatoes. More than 1200 people were sickened in this latest produce disaster.

Congress has scheduled several hearings next week concerning the salmonella outbreak and why thee was such a lengthy delay in determining the cause.

The sought-after amount is based on an estimate from Florida growers and includes crops abandoned in the field, products thrown out by retailers and tomatoes forced to be sold as low as $5 a box, compared with as much as $20 in a normal market, said Reggie Brown, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, a cooperative of tomato farmers. The Agriculture Department hasn't released a firm estimate of the cost to farmers or distributors.

Call me crazy, but shouldn't we try to figure out exactly what happened first, before we opt to shovel $100 million dollars to any industry? Especially one which may be at fault?

Consumer advocates oppose the bill. Sarah Klein, a staff attorney at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said the food-industry lobby over the years has weakened federal food-safety oversight, and consumers shouldn't foot the bill now. "We'd like to see the industry focusing on how to prevent these outbreaks for the future to protect consumers and their bottom line," she said.

Gee, you don't say?

Oh, and watch those Jalepeno peppers. They're still hot. The FDA and CDC found a single pepper tainted with the Saintpaul strain of salmonella in Texas.

It's time we rethink how we eat. Much of our food is shipped from China, Thailand and other ports unknown. This is a waste of energy and the food we get no longer tastes as it once did. This is done so Big Agra can make tons-o-money and control the food we eat.

What can you do? Read more here.

And do Recommend this post should you find it worthwhile.

Comments (9)

We sure do need to find out the exact cause, but we also need to find out why they decided that it was being caused by Tomatoes, without any proof to link the outbreak to them. If if was not Tomatoes, then they certainly have hurt the growers, and at the same time, people were continuing to consume the produce that most likely was the real source of the problem.

The Republicans have gutted the agencies that are supposed to be the guardians of consumers, and both the growers and and consumers are now paying a steep price for such a dismantling.

Katrina, Lead Paint from China, Tainted foods, Crumbling Bridges, and Killer Pharmaceuticals; all courtesy of the GOP(Greed Over Protection)

Posted by liam
July 26, 2008 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink

Agreed completely! (Dude, get out of my brain! You keep taking thoughts out of my mind. I warn you, the inside of my noggin' is a frightening place. :-D )

I don't necessarily begrudge the tomato growers. But I certainly want to know what, why, when, how it happened and how to prevent it from happening again.

The way we piss away money, a hundred mil ain't nuthin'. But as a gift? No.

(As an aside, they are private industry and as such I think private insurance is a better way to go. Hell, it's forced on us for everything. But that's another story. I have friends who are farmers in KS. A moderately small operation, maybe 1000 leased acres or so. This would wipe them out for an entire year. They have one growing season which then sustains them for the remaining months. It is unlikely they would be bailed out by the government for, say, flooding. I am not aware, is anything being done for the farmers along the Mississippi?)

My problem comes in with pork going to FL but not other places. Tomatoes are but one crop. Is this a precedent? What about if those jalapeño peppers go south?

If I had my druthers, I would prefer to see $100,000,000 go into the various safety commissions. Under this administration or a McCain administration, never going to happen.

Clinton did a decent job. I hope Obama does, too. After everything you mentioned above, we certainly need it.

Posted by MsJoanne
July 26, 2008 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink

The news report on it last night identified the culprits as the Jalepeno peppers being imported from Mexico.

Of course, you're post is full of common sense and facts - muchas gracios! (Couldn't resist!)

Highly rec'd.

Posted by Aunt Sam
July 26, 2008 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink

Heh! Salsa all around!

Posted by MsJoanne
July 26, 2008 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink

With blue chips and blended marguaritas! Ole!

Posted by Aunt Sam
July 26, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink

It's time we rethink how we eat. Much of our food is shipped from China, Thailand and other ports unknown. This is a waste of energy

This is the part I strongly agree with; however I have no faith this problem will be solved on a mass scale. I think, by definition, this can only be done via identity politics (veganism, permaculture, etc.) To solve this on a mass scale, we would need something like sustainable zero-energy greenhouses across every city and suburb, proportional to the population. However, this sort of radical change would be contingent on the people forsaking animal products and fast-food. In my opinion, this kind of radical change will not happen without years of famine... and even then, the population decrease could once again make it feasible to return to our old ways. Not a good time to be born a cow.

Posted by littleblackpropaganda
July 26, 2008 11:23 PM | Reply | Permalink

Unfortunately, I think you're right. I really have no desire to go vegan, but when you consider the sheer number of animals and all of the associated issues (methane, grazing, sanitary, sickness), that would certainly be one way of addressing it.

We mustn't lose sight of an overarching problem and that is the number of humans populating the planet. Feeding and dealing with the waste (even if it is severely limited) can only be sustained for so long.

And, I tell you what. I am glad that I never had children. The world is not what it once was. And this is not a world I wish to leave to them. Greed rules the day and there is little that we can do about it. Unless you're a billionaire, we, the little people, have very little voice. I don't see that changing (at least during my lifetime).

I fear that famine and sickness will become something we have to live through (or not live through; not survive). GMO's with little understanding of long term impact. Super bugs with no cure. Disappearing bees (this should be an enormous story all unto itself but how often do you see that in any reporting?) I think much is interconnected. We have seriously fucked with mother nature all in the name of greed.

As they say, we shall reap what was sown.

Posted by MsJoanne
July 27, 2008 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink

The lobbying and de-regulation which led to this mess is no mystery.

The industry pressured the Bush administration years ago to limit the paperwork companies would have to keep to help U.S. health investigators quickly trace produce that sickens consumers, according to interviews and government reports reviewed by The Associated Press.
The White House also killed a plan to require the industry to maintain electronic tracking records that could be reviewed easily during a crisis to search for an outbreak's source. Companies complained the proposals were too burdensome and costly, and warned they could disrupt the availability of consumers' favorite foods.

The apparent but unintended consequences of the lobbying success: a paper record-keeping system that has slowed investigators, with estimated business losses of $250 million. So far, nearly 1,300 people in 43 states, the District of Columbia and Canada have been sickened by salmonella since April.

Posted by AdAbsurdum
July 27, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink

So far, nearly 1,300 people in 43 states, the District of Columbia and Canada have been sickened by salmonella since April.

Apparently, it was the wrong people in DC. Should this affect any of our (supposed) leaders - or their families, you betcha we would have instant legislation.

The rest of us? Let them eat, well, anything but tomatoes, spinach, and jalapeño peppers.

Posted by MsJoanne
July 27, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink

When Tomatoes = Pork (CDC + FDA = FU

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