Food safety is important on every farm, and
growers have a responsibility to minimize risks
to produce food that is not only wholesome and
nutritious, but also safe.
Why should fruit and vegetable growers be
particularly concerned about food safety?
Most farmers take great pride in growing highquality,
nutritious fruits and vegetables and would
never knowingly produce food that could harm
their customers. And yet, foodborne illnesses that
can be traced back to farms happen, and incidents
increase each year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, one-third of all significant
multistate outbreaks of foodborne illness in 2011
involved fresh produce. The human costs can
be heartbreaking when people die or become
chronically ill. The cost to public health is great
and deserves attention. The economic cost is
enormous, with an estimated $1.4 billion lost
nationally per year from produce-related illnesses,
not including the cost to industry or government.
Everyone benefits when produce is grown that is
nutritious and safe