Southeastern growers are doing everything they can to convince people that tomatoes from the region are not a health threat.

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture says South Carolina-grown tomatoes have not been associated with salmonellosis.

State agriculture officials say state growers use both good agricultural practices and good handling practices when producing, packing and shipping produce.

“Buy local. South Carolina-grown tomatoes are in peak season during June and July. Nothing’s fresher. Nothing’s finer. Look for the Certified SC Grown logo and buy South Carolina-grown tomatoes where you shop,” Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers said.

Meanwhile, Charles Hall of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association says the tomato industry is in serious trouble and needs help.

“At this time, the growing regions that produced the tomatoes that were identified as the source of the salmonella outbreak do not have any tomatoes in the marketplace. Yet other growing regions just entering the market, such as Georgia, are faced with the issue of educating consumers that our tomatoes are safe to eat,” Hall said.

The issue started on April 16. The bacteria’s incubation period is 12 to 72 hours. Since the shelf life of fresh tomatoes is three to four weeks at most, the threat of illness should be over for consumers. However, the threat of financial ruin is still very real for all tomato growers, Hall said.

The value of the tomato industry in Georgia alone is more than $70 million annually; however, the industry is in a crisis due to a blanket recommendation from the FDA that decimated the market.

Since the spinach recall in 2006, the American produce industry has worked together voluntarily to implement the highest food safety standards in the world to assure the American public a safe food supply.

“We are hopeful FDA will identify the source of outbreak very soon; however, in the meantime we are asking you to understand and feel comfortable knowing that tomatoes are safe from the regions the FDA has cleared – including Georgia,” Hall said.

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