Two brothers who owned the Colorady farm linked to fatal listeria diseases on cantaloupe have been charged with misdemeanor introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/26/cantaloupe-listeria-outbreak-jensen-charges
""The real significance of the case against the Jensens is they are being charged with misdemeanors, which do not require intent, just the fact that they shipped contaminated food using interstate commerce," he said."
"Eric Jensen, 37, and Ryan Jensen, 33, each could face up to six years in prison if they are convicted of all counts against them, prosecutors said.
The Jensens' farm was in south-eastern Colorado. The farm filed for bankruptcy after the outbreak."
"Tammie Palmer, whose husband, Charles, became ill after eating the cantaloupe and died this year, said the criminal case won't help her.
"My husband is already dead," said Palmer, of Colorado Springs.
She said a just outcome would be some way of preventing the Jensens from farming again or having any involvement with the food industry.
Palmer and her husband filed a lawsuit seeking $2m from Jensen Farms, but it hasn't been resolved."
With more and more sophisticated testing and tracking methods, it's highly likely that any shipment of bad product could be traced back to a given region or even farm. Do you worry about being the unwitting source of some crop contamination?
