The tomato industry took a big hit when the commodity was blamed for the salmonella outbreak this spring. But local supporters of the agricultural community hope to give the industry a bump when it highlights tomatoes as the theme of this year's Farm City Week.
As Manatee's largest crop with 11,000 acres, the tomato industry has an estimated economic impact of $200 million on the local economy. Since the salmonella scare, Florida's tomato industry has suffered a $50 million loss among growers and shippers, the vast majority of whom are from the Palmetto and Ruskin areas.
The emphasis on tomatoes during Farm City Week, held in November, will be not only to educate people about agriculture but to help instill consumer confidence in locally grown produce, specifically tomatoes, said Betty Glassburn, publicity chairwoman for the event.
"We want them to walk away with a good feeling about tomatoes, knowing that tomatoes are the No. 1 agriculture commodity in this county," she said.
Designed to introduce the public to farm life, Farm City Week holds a tour each year. This year's tour will stop at West Coast Tomato Packing House, Lipman and Lipman Tomato Farm, a Mosaic Co. reclamation site and Arlin Taylor Ranch in Duette.
In the past 26 years as a Manatee County extension agent, Phyllis Gilreath, who is retired, talked with consumer groups about local agriculture.
"They want to know where their food is grown. They'd rather buy it from Florida. The very scariest thing that can happen is for us not to be able to produce our own food," Gilreath said.
West Coast Tomato in Palmetto welcomes a chance to explain its packing operations to the public.
"We see Farm City Week as an opportunity to reach out to the community, which may not be familiar with agriculture," Bob Spencer of West Coast Tomato said. "We want to get people eating tomatoes again and feeling safe about it, so this is one little part of that process."
Another highlight of this year's Farm City Week is the reviving of the Tomato Festival, which will be held in Palmetto.
"What it is, is a celebration of Manatee County agriculture history," said Geoff Seger, director of parks and recreation for the city of Palmetto.
For 14 years, the Tomato Festival was hosted by the city of Palmetto until Manatee County took charge in 2005. Now rolled in with Palmetto's Founder's Day festival, the tomato festival will be funded by Palmetto's city commission this year.
To get the festival off the ground, Seger will be working to get more sponsors, hopefully by next year bringing back much of the same entertainment it has in the past, like the parade, tomato queen contest and the tomato cookoff.
This year, the festival will be able to deliver favorite events such as the tomato fight, salsa cooking contest, a Mr. and Mrs. Tomato contest, and a contest to determine the largest, prettiest, ugliest or smallest tomato.
The festival also features carnival rides, food, music, an antique tractor show and the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show International.
An area rich in agricultural history, Palmetto still supports a large number of tomato packing houses that unfairly suffered as a result of the salmonella outbreak. The festival gives an opportunity to support the local growers, Seger said.
"They could never could figure it out, but we knew our tomatoes were good," Seger said.
Jessica Klipa, Herald reporter, can be reached at 708-7906.
Farm City Week
• Nov. 14 - Ag Venture Fairgrounds in Palmetto
• Nov. 15 - Beef Prospect Show
• Nov. 18 - Kiwanis Luncheon (invitation only); announcement of the Outstanding Agriculturist of the Year
• Nov. 19 - Leadership Manatee Tour
• Nov. 20 - Palmetto Historical Luncheon; announcement of Hall of Fame member
• Nov. 21 - Farm City Week Ag Tour
• Nov. 22-23 - Palmetto Tomato Festival
For more information, call Linda Means at the Manatee County Extension Office at 722-4524.
Local produce is theme of upcoming Farm City Week
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