Repay Florida's growers Palm Beach Post Editorial Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Florida growers have had to dump truckloads of tomatoes in waste piles or let crops die on the vine because of a salmonella outbreak that has nothing to do with Florida or tomatoes. The first cases of salmonella surfaced in April, and more than 1,100 cases in 42 states have been reported. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration still hasn't found the source of the problem, but that hasn't stopped the government from making costly accusations. A few weeks after the outbreak, the FDA linked it to raw tomatoes. The impact on Florida, the nation's largest tomato producer, was immediate. Sales fell at least 40 percent, and growers lost millions - perhaps more than $100 million so far. The FDA cleared Florida tomatoes in June, but the damage was done, and it is far-reaching. Nationally, tomato growers and packers could lose more than $500 million. The more the government investigates, the more it appears that tomatoes may have been safe to eat all along. The suspects are now jalapeno peppers or cilantro, but the evidence is still inconclusive. J. Luis Rodriguez, trade adviser for the Lake Worth-based Florida Farmers Inc., blames the FDA for "throwing the crop under the bus." He says, "The government screwed up big- time, and the government should pay restitution for that." He's right. Mr. Rodriguez says the growers may sue the FDA if the government doesn't cover their losses. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson wants Congress to compensate the growers. Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Panama City, is sponsoring an appropriations bill that the Florida delegation supports. Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, wants the FDA to do a better job investigating future problems and getting accurate information to consumers. With the economy slumping and fuel costs soaring, growers have problems enough without false alarms from Washington. It's no secret there aren't enough federal inspectors to safeguard the nation's food supply. But the least the government can do is pay for its mistakes - like everybody else.