Understanding the Colorado Listeria Outbreak's Impact on Arizona Agriculture's Fall Cantaloupe Harvest
By Julie Murphree, Arizona Farm Bureau
Arizona’s fall cantaloupe harvest just began in early October; now we must convince U.S. consumers that the appetizing melon is safe to eat.
A deadly listeria outbreak traced to cantaloupes grown in Colorado has sparked concern by consumers as to whether cantaloupe should be eaten.
More than 23,000 acres of cantaloupes are produced in Arizona, mainly in the spring. But in the fall, approximately 9,800 acres of Arizona cantaloupe are harvested and shipped throughout the country greatly contributing to the $115 million cantaloupe industry in Arizona.
The fall harvest is so valuable to our state’s agriculture industry that the majority of the melons shipped throughout the United States are almost exclusively grown in Arizona during the fall season. Only about two to three percent stay in the state to be sold locally.
“Unfortunately, though it’s still early in the harvest year, we’re feeling about a 60% drop in orders,” says Milas Russell, Jr., president of Yuma-based Sandstone Marketing and one of the four to five major producers of fall melons.
Food borne illnesses are never a joke, and certainly not when deaths are associated with an outbreak. Our sources tell us it’s been traced back to one farm in Colorado and that farm’s cantaloupe has been pulled from the shelves.
But such news may not be enough comfort for most consumers and could potentially devastate our fall market of healthy, nutritious cantaloupe.
There is reason to believe in our Arizona cantaloupe, however.
“Typically, all of our melon growers in Arizona follow a strict collection of food safety guidelines,” says Kurt Nolte, Ph.D., Yuma County Extension agent and Director of the Yuma Agricultural Center in Arizona. “Additionally, Arizona melons are grown using below ground drip irrigation, and very rarely get wet in the field. Listeria, and other dangerous microbes tend to multiply in wet, moist environments. As another food safety precaution, Arizona-grown melons are field packed, and kept dry from field to fork.”
Russell points out the food safety planting and harvesting protocols of both California and Arizona melons. “Melons grown in California’s San Joaquin Valley and the desert southwest portions of Arizona and California are subjected to immense amounts of UV light, extreme high temperatures and little rainfall which creates an unfavorable environment for bacteria to survive in. Bacteria, such as listeria, Salmonella and E-coli 0157:H7, which are the most common causes of food borne illnesses are not likely to contaminate or be present on harvested melons grown in these regions.”
Much of it boils down to our climates. Russell explains that our climatic environment along with progressive growing and harvesting food safety practices by the growers and harvesters in this region have enabled the California and Arizona farmers to annually provide safe and healthy melons for consumers in the U.S., Canada and other parts of the world.
The industry is so concerned about what’s happened that Arizona and California melon growers are collaborating to co-sponsor a study to help restore confidence in the market as a result of the listeria outbreak in Colorado. Arizona growers are planning to commit as much as $250,000 over the next four years to resolve the crisis.
Maricopa in Pinal County is another great area for growing cantaloupe. Cindi Pearson of Santa Rosa Produce in Maricopa started harvesting 3,000 acres of cantaloupes in early October. Pearson said over the telephone she is labeling fruit with Arizona-grown stickers. She has placed laminated placards on the backs of her trucks to convince customers her fruit is safe.
“Consumers don’t understand that the Colorado melons are gone and it’s the start of a different season,” Pearson said in a recent Associated Press article on the cantaloupe issue. “Right now, cantaloupes should be the safest product to eat. But all people see is the deaths and sicknesses, and that image is getting reinforced in their minds. It’s devastating to us.”
When Arizona Agriculture interviewed her earlier, she was hopeful her efforts could offset what’s occurring with the fall harvest in Arizona. “We’re really trying to emphasize that our cantaloupe are Arizona melons and grown under quite unique conditions because of our climate and food safety precautions.”
But, it’s not quite as promising as growers might have hoped. Pearson is estimating that she may have to walk away from half of her crop.
Since the brief fall season of October, November and the first part of December means nearly all cantaloupe produced domestically are coming from Arizona and shipping nationwide, Arizona Farm Bureau and our key melon growers are pushing to get the good news out about Arizona cantaloupe.
Arizona Farm Bureau has taken steps to contact local and national media with information including providing U.S. consumers with food safety tips. To date most major statewide media outlets have picked up on the story including broadcast coverage. On the national level, Associated Press and Fox News have reported on the safety of Arizona cantaloupe.
We’ve even confirmed with Bashas’ Family of Stores that they are identifying where their cantaloupe are coming from with signage at the display.
“We’re telling our Arizona families to look for Arizona-grown melons this fall in their local grocery store while also trying to get the message of quality cantaloupe out nationally,” says Arizona Farm Bureau President Kevin Rogers. “It’s a healthy, tasty and nutritious mix in a balanced diet.”
Cantaloupe is so healthy it’s classified as a nutrient dense food and low in calories. It provides an excellent source of vitamin C, Potassium, and carotenes. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, fiber, Niacin, folic acid, thiamine, and pantothenic acid. Cantaloupe contains the compound adenosine, which is effective when used in patients with heart disease.
So help us get the word out. Otherwise, our brilliantly productive and valuable fall cantaloupe crop may turn into a rotten year for the books.
