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Updated: 3:52 PM Feb 13, 2009
Local peanut farmers speak out about salmonella outbreak
Local peanut farmers say they have to cut back on how much they plant this spring.
Posted: 10:13 AM Feb 13, 2009Reporter: Shalah Sasse Email Address: shalah.sasse@wrdw.com |
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1 Comments 
News 12 This Morning, February 13, 2009
BRUNSON, S.C. --- James Mole has been farming since 1972. His family grows cotton, corn, peanuts, and soybeans on their farm in Brunson, South Carolina.
"The farmers are doing everything they can," James Mole said.
Mole says the deadly salmonella outbreak at Peanut Corporation of America in Blakely, Georgia has caused a domino effect.
Because of the salmonella outbreak, Mole says peanut buyers are cutting back. So this May, he'll only plant 125 acres. He used to plant 200.
He says the salmonella outbreak will cut his income by a third. Mole says not only is it a huge hit for peanut farmers, but the economy too.
"You know evidently things didn't go right and they made a mistake and they ought to have to pay the price for it. Somebody needs to," Mole said.
Monty Rast is a peanut farmer in Orangeburg County and is a member of the South Carolina Peanut Board. He says the salmonella outbreak has caused peanut sales to decrease.
"It has the potential to be devastating to farmers, we feel like they can weather the storm, if the salmonella issues are settled and taken care of, and people restore the confidence that they need to have to continue to buy products," South Carolina Peanut Board member, Monty Rast said.
"You just got to pick up and go on. That's life. That's what a lot of farming is about. You have good years and we have bad years," Mole said.
The South Carolina Peanut Board says the salmonella outbreak is regrettable but they want to emphasize that the vast majority of peanuts grown in this country are safe.
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