In a public relations push following a deadly listeria outbreak tied to its name, the Rocky Ford Growers Association has declared Saturday to be Rocky Ford Cantaloupe Day at the , including a cantaloupe eating contest.
“How many Rocky Ford cantaloupes can you eat?” a press release from the Rocky Mountain Growers Association stated Thursday night.
Those expected to participate include Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture John Salazar, state Sen. Kevin Grantham, Otero County Commissioner Keith Goodwin, Crowley County Commissioner Gary Gibson, Rocky Ford Cantaloupe Growers Association chairman Michael Hirakata and Otero County Health Department director Rick Ritter.
The calls Saturday “Watermelon Day,” but lists the cantaloupe-eating contest at 10:30 a.m.
A tied to Jensen Farms near Holly, which used the Rocky Ford name, killed 30 people and was the deadliest foodborne illness outbreak in more than two decades.
Addressing the issue on , the Rocky Ford Growers Association stated, “Rocky Ford Cantaloupe has a perfect safety record for the past 125 years. The cantaloupes that were recalled last year were not from Rocky Ford but from a farm approximately 90 miles away that used the Rocky Ford name.”
The fair is celebrating its 135th anniversary, according to the association.
