Consolidation turns local outbreaks into national risks

By Lucy Sears, Farm Action

A federal investigation into a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora initially focused on iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, though the FDA later withdrew one laboratory result as a false positive. Regardless of whether Taylor Farms is ultimately responsible, the investigation has exposed how concentrated the US produce industry has become.

Just four companies control over half — 54% — of the fresh-cut salad market, while an estimated 80–90% of fresh produce is marketed through large grower-shipper-packers. Similar concentration exists elsewhere: Driscoll’s reportedly controls about 90% of conventional supermarket raspberry sales, and Bolthouse and Grimmway produce roughly 60% of US carrots.

Consolidation like this allows contamination involving one supplier to spread across states, retailers and institutions before investigators identify the source. It also leaves farmers with fewer buyers, consumers with fewer meaningful choices, and the food supply increasingly dependent on long, centralized and fragile distribution chains.

Read more: https://farmaction.us/if-it-isnt-taylor-farms-then-who/