Lettuce Farmers Plow 300,000 Pounds of Crop as Cyclospora Outbreak Cuts Demand 30%
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 1
Lettuce Farmers Plow 300,000 Pounds of Crop as Cyclospora Outbreak Cuts Demand 30%
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 1
Summary
300,000 pounds of romaine hearts were chopped up and plowed under by one Salinas Valley farmer after the cyclospora outbreak crushed demand, even though there was no evidence his crop was contaminated.
1,600-plus cases across five Midwestern states were traced to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico supplied by Taylor Farms, prompting recalls in 27 states and a halt to imports from that region for the rest of the season.
30% demand declines have hit some growers in California's Salinas Valley, which supplies nearly half of U.S. lettuce, as consumers avoid greens beyond the recalled products.
Fresh lettuce sales fell nearly 9% year over year from mid-June to July—about 7.6 million pounds—while other vegetables and even Taco Bell sales also dropped after lettuce-linked illness reports.