Salmonella Scare Still Affecting South Plains Peanut Farmers
By: Kristen Kennedy
Updated: May 1, 2009
The salmonella scare continues to affect South Plains peanut farmers. This is prime planting season in West Texas, and a lot of peanut farmers are planting a lot less this year. Brownfield farmer James Martin has cut his crop by more than half this year. With no processing plants offering contracts to farmers, there's no guarantee they'll be able to make a profit.
"Farmers are a resilient bunch and we just hang in there and we possibly won't even make a profit this year, but if we can break even then maybe it'll be better next year - that's famous words here in West Texas," says peanut farmer James Martin.
Martin has spent the last two days planting peanuts and cotton on his farm. He's optimistic he'll be able to sell his crop to local processing plants now that more consumers are back to buying peanut products.
