The Wall Street Journal: Federal health officials haven't cleared tomatoes as a cause of the salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 1,270 nationwide, but the tomato industry has — and it is seeking compensation for their loss.
Rep. Tim Mahoney, a Democrat from Florida, a large tomato producer in the U.S., introduced legislation July 23, 2008, that would give the nation's tomato growers and shippers $100 million to compensate for losses they incurred in the outbreak. The Agriculture Department would decide who qualifies, much like the way disaster assistance is carried out.
At the same time, Congress has scheduled at least three hearings on the salmonella outbreak and why it took so long to figure out what caused it.
Read also, Salmonella found on jalapeno, tomatoes cleared.
