Tomato Sandwich Day a juicy success; Georgia Grown proclaimed safe and tasty

Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin has been telling everyone that Georgia tomatoes are safe to eat.  Wednesday he showed them by serving and eating “Georgia Grown” tomato sandwiches in the department headquarters.

Commissioner Irvin, Deputy Commissioner Terry Coleman and Charles Hall, executive director of Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association invited the media to join Agriculture Department employees and friends for tomato sandwiches.

“We wanted to show people that Georgia Grown tomatoes are safe to eat,” Irvin said.  “They are good to eat raw and cooked in several different recipes, but there’s nothing better than biting into a tomato sandwich and trying to catch the juice before it runs down your chin.”

At least 250 people, including Governor Perdue’s chief of staff, Ed Holcomb, who took tomato sandwiches back to him, agreed with Irvin.  They consumed about 400 sandwiches and used a great number of napkins.

“The salmonella outbreak has been harmful to farmers and growers in Georgia and across the South.  We wanted to restore confidence in our growers,” Irvin said.

“Although Georgia was one of the first states cleared by FDA,” Charles Hall pointed out, “Georgia growers have suffered significant losses.

We appreciate the Georgia Department of Agriculture commissioner, deputy commissioner and employees for pulling this great event together.  It was another opportunity to show that Georgia tomatoes are safe to eat,” Hall said.

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