SPECIAL ALERT!!!
Our melons are grown and packed in the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno County, California. Rocky Ford is located in Southeastern Colorado. According to the FDA, Rocky Ford, Colorado, cantaloupes are the only melons under investigation. We assure you our product is perfectly safe. Please feel free to contact us with any further questions.
Call us at (209) 634-7207 or email us at TFC@kowest.com
Here is a message from the California Cantaloupe industry:
To Our Valued Customers:
The Listeria outbreak associated with cantaloupe from a single shipper in the Rocky Ford region of Colorado is an ongoing tragedy. While unfortunately, the number of illnesses reported is still on the rise, experts are telling us that due to their harvest dates and shelf-life, these cantaloupes are no longer in distribution channels or in consumers’ homes. This means that cantaloupes now being shipped from all other growers and all other growing areas are NOT involved in this outbreak.
When it comes to California cantaloupes, we want our customers to know that the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board is committed to continuing in our 20-year history of food safety based research to learn more about why this outbreak occurred. We have already begun this process by engaging university and industry scientists with expertise in food safety to help us track developments in the investigation and analyze the potential causes of this outbreak.
What we are learning is what 20 years of research has shown – the dry, arid growing conditions in the California regions where cantaloupes are grown, along with the way we pack and force air cool our products results in lower risk, of contamination from foodborne pathogens.
While we understand the market implications when any outbreak occurs, we hope that our customers will join us in continuing to offer and promote cantaloupe in the coming weeks.
The California cantaloupe industry would like to commend state and federal health officials who worked so diligently to isolate the cause of this outbreak, along with the Colorado farm and regional shipper for their quick and cooperative response. Their actions prevented more illnesses and likely saved lives.
The continued support of you, our customers, is important and is a crucial factor in assuring consumers they can buy cantaloupes with confidence. Please let us know if there is any assistance or further information we can provide to help you in communicating with your stores or customers.
Thank you.
For four generations, and more than 85 years, the Smith family has worked to provide the highest quality melons on the market. Owner Don Smith has been involved in the growing and marketing of melons for over 60 years, and both his son Steve and his grandson Alec have grown up learning all aspects of the business.
Turlock Fruit Company ships under the King O’ The West, Sycamore, Regal Oak, and Peacock brands. We also market organic honeydews and cantaloupes under the Sycamore and Peacock label and use the same quality standards for appearance and sugar as those used on our conventionally grown melons.