Health Law

Carrot Producer Sues Sheep Farmer Over E. coli Concerns

By Marler Clark

Grimmway Enterprises, Inc., a carrot producer in Bakersfield, California is suing a neighboring sheep farmer afer the sheep entered Grimmway's property.  The sheep grazed on Grimmway crops, but more importantly, they did what sheep do - they defecated.  Out of resulting concern for possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination, Gimmway destroyed an alleged 75 acres of crops.

In a related story on,  Michele Jay-Russell of UC Davis' Western Institute for Food Safety and Security said the destruction of the crops made sense.  "It's a legitimate c oncern," she said.   Sheep, and other ruminants, such as cattle and goats, are known to harbor E. coli O157:H7.  An investigation of the massive 2006 E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Dole spinach suggested that wildlife in the crop fields played in role in the outbreak.

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on June 01, 2009 (boomark / email).