ROCKY FORD, Colo.—Cantaloupe growers asked Colorado’s agriculture chief to create a commission aimed at improving consumer confidence in Rocky Ford cantaloupe following an outbreak of listeria blamed for the deaths of 29 people.
The growers also want the state to clarify that not all cantaloupe from the region was contaminated.
The Food and Drug Administration has said the contamination occurred at a packing facility in Granada, about 84 miles east of Rocky Ford.
State Agriculture Commissioner John Salazar met with about 20 producers, city leaders and citizens on Monday and discussed making Rocky Ford melons a certified brand name, the Pueblo Chieftain ( ) reported Tuesday.
They also discussed steps to certify growers who attend a food-safety workshop and submit samples to the state health department before shipping products.
“Our purpose is to try and facilitate and offer whatever services in the state of Colorado to try to help you reorganize or organize any kind of organization you want,” Salazar said.
Government health officials have said it was the first known outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe. Listeria generally is found in processed meats and unpasteurized milk and cheese, though there have been a growing number of outbreaks in produce.
“We have never had a problem with our cantaloupe,” said Swink cantaloupe producer Chuck Hanagan, whose company has been producing the fruit for 120 years. “But now we have been harmed by the listeria outbreak in cantaloupe far from here.”
Colorado cantaloupe farmers fear it will be a while before people feel safe eating Rocky Ford melons again because of the listeria outbreak linked to one farm in the state.
The Food and Drug Administration said melons at Jensen Farms likely were contaminated in the operation’s packing house, which was using secondhand equipment. Melons in the field tested negative.
In October, the farm issued a statement saying it was deeply saddened by the outbreak and has hired a health expert to investigate. The owners have since refused to comment.
The report was released after the close of melon season in Rocky Ford, a region about 130 miles southeast of Denver known for its sweet-tasting melons. Farmers are now busy with the corn harvest.
Eric Hanagan, a farmer in the Rocky Ford region, fears cantaloupe sales will drop next year and he plans to plant about 50 percent less, replacing it with a lower-income crop such as corn.
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Information from: The Pueblo Chieftain,
