PALM BEACH POST

March 8, 2006

North Carolina, Ag-Mart at odds on violations, fines

By CHRISTINE STAPLETON

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

A week after Florida agriculture officials broke off negotiations with Ag-Mart, agriculture officials in North Carolina announced on Tuesday that they, too, were unable to resolve 369 pesticide violations and a $184,500 fine against the company in that state.

Pesticide inspectors in both states targeted Ag-Mart, the Plant City grower of the Santa Sweet grape tomato, after three women who worked in the company’s fields gave birth to babies with birth defects.  State health officials found no link between the birth defects and the pesticides.  A similar investigation by health officials in North Carolina is expected to be released this month.

Florida inspectors found 88 pesticide violations and fined the company $111,200 in October.  Negotiations broke down in February after the company offered to pay a $25,000 fine and admit to seven of the 88 violations.  No date has been set by the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings to resolve the Florida case.

Ag-Mart says the allegations are based on misinterpretation of data voluntarily supplied by the company to investigators in both states.

North Carolina officials declined to discuss details of the negotiations.  However, residue tests of the company’s produce showed there were no food safety concerns and g-Mart workers did not report any health problems, North Carolina officials said.  The case will be heard by the North Carolina Pesticide Board on March 28.