| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
June 12, 2008
Department of Agriculture
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
CONTACT: Nicole L. Cullison, (717) 787-5085
HARRISBURG – In the wake of a recent salmonella outbreak in tomatoes, Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff said today that Pennsylvania tomatoes were cleared and not associated with the outbreak declared by the Food and Drug Administration.
“Pennsylvania tomatoes were not the source of the recent salmonella contamination, and Pennsylvanians should know that our tomatoes are safe,” said Wolff. “I urge all consumers to seek out locally grown, fresh tomatoes of all types, including round, roma and plum red tomatoes, especially those designated as PA Preferred.”
The PA Preferred program showcases the best Pennsylvania has to offer through branding high quality foods that are grown or processed in Pennsylvania.
Currently, the only Pennsylvania tomatoes on the market in any volume are greenhouse tomatoes. Local produce auctions report good quantities of local greenhouse tomatoes are being harvested now. Tomatoes grown in high tunnels or unheated greenhouses will start ripening in volume later in June.
Most field-grown tomatoes in Pennsylvania will not be ripe until July. The local tomato season will continue into October for field tomatoes and into November and early December for high tunnel and greenhouse tomatoes.
Pennsylvania ranks eighth in the nation for the production of fresh market tomatoes. By acreage, tomatoes rank fifth among vegetable crops in Pennsylvania, and are worth $24 million annually.
For more information about PA Preferred, visit www.papreferred.com.
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