Personal Injury Law

Carrot producers sue sheepherders

By Dr. Doug Powell

According to the Bakersfield (CA) Californian, a producer concerned with foodborne illness risks is suing a sheepherding couple (right, not exactly as shown) for crop losses after a flock of sheep were allowed to graze in a carrot field.

Grimmway Enterprises Inc. is suing Fernando and Yvonne Iturriria for $230,059.34 in damages, plus attorneys fees.

The carrot giant alleges the Iturririas allowed an "unknown number" of sheep to graze on 1.9 acres of carrots at the outset of harvest season, after which the sheep defecated on the crops, the lawsuit says.

The original 1.9 acres of carrots and the adjoining 73.567 acres were destroyed to prevent food poisoning, according to the lawsuit.

"It is a legitimate concern," said Michele Jay-Russell of UC Davis' Western Institute for Food Safety and Security. "I'd be especially worried about direct defecation on a food that could be consumed raw."

Sheep poop has been linked to risks in fresh produce, a 1981 Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in Canada was linked to cabbage fertilized with composted and raw sheep manure. Mud mixed with sheep poop was also linked to a Campylobacter outbreak last summer at a Welsh mountain bike race.

Full post as published by BarfBlog on May 27, 2009 (boomark / email).