AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRIES COMMISSIONER: Sparks Urges Restaurants to Serve Alabama Grown Tomatoes

FROM THE AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRIES COMMISSIONER

June 26, 2008

Montgomery – Agriculture & Industries Commissioner Ron Sparks urges restaurants to serve their customers Alabama grown tomatoes. Some Alabama restaurants continue to leave tomatoes off their list of choices since the salmonella outbreak. The outbreak has caused a glut in the market, but gun-shy buyers have been reluctant to purchase tomatoes, even those from states on the FDA’s “safe to eat” list. Sparks feels the decision for some restaurants to continue to leave tomatoes off menus is based on economics instead of food safety.

“I had lunch today at Chick-fil-A and was disappointed to find that they were still not serving tomatoes,” said Sparks. “Alabama grown tomatoes have been on the FDA’s ‘safe to eat’ list since early this month. Considering that Chick-fil-A is based in Georgia, I would think they would not only be aware that tomatoes from Southern states have been cleared except for some Florida counties, but also how important it is to our states’ economies to use local produce. There is no reason that restaurants, including fast food chains, cannot arrange to purchase locally grown tomatoes. I believe that some businesses are using this outbreak to help their bottom line. Every state that has requested clearance from the FDA in the US has been cleared by the FDA and small farmers shouldn’t have to suffer. Restaurant owners should take advantage of being able to use a fresh locally grown product that is readily available and consumers should let restaurants know that not only do they want tomatoes back on the menu, but that they would prefer an Alabama tomato.”

For more information on the salmonella outbreak in raw red tomatoes, please visit, http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html.