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Ag-Mart is a large tomato grower with operations in Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey and Mexico, as well as packing facilities in NJ, PA and CA. One of the largest growers of grape tomatoes in the US, Ag-Mart sells its grape tomatoes under the label "Santa

Sweets," but also repacks tomatoes for many private labels and provides grape tomatoes to McDonalds, among other restaurant chains. Ag-Mart's grape tomatoes are sold at almost every large grocery store chain in the US, and are also available as "certified organic." Ag-Mart also sells organic heirloom tomatoes under the "Ugly Ripe" label.

While the company has only operated in North Carolina a few years, it has already racked up a serious record of abuses with respect to farmworkers, including record fines from the NC Department of Labor in 2003 for housing workers in squalid conditions. The company faces the largest pesticide violation case in North Carolina history, mostly for failing to comply with the federal Worker Protection Standards that are designed to minimize pesticide hazards to farmworkers. At least one family contends that these unlawful exposures during a worker's pregnancy resulted in the severe birth defects of her son.

North Carolina's case against the vegetable giant took a huge step backwards when the administrative law judge in charge of the case ruled in December in Ag-Mart's favor, recommending that the state dismiss 275 of the 369 charges against the company and limit the fine to only $500. Judge Beryl Wade accepted Ag-Mart's argument that their records were inaccurate, essentially negating the state's evidence for all the most serious violations in the case.


MEDIA COVERAGE:

2007 COVERAGE

4 Jan Raleigh News & Observer: Ruling benefits Ag-Mart: State vows to still pursue case involving pesticides

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/pesticide_violations/story/528517.html

25 July Raleigh News & Observer: Housing Committee Discusses Pesticides Bill

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/648984.html

2006 COVERAGE

19 Feb (Raleigh News & Observer): Grower faces record fines for pesticides

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/pesticide_violations/story/402173.html

23 Feb (Raleigh News & Observer): Pesticide Law Lacks Teeth; State fines insufficient to hurt big companies

http://www.newsobserver.com/125/story/410676.html

2 March (Miami Herald): Infant has no limbs; parents blame pesticides

7 March (Raleigh News & Observer): Board to review pesticide dispute; Tomato grower faces record fine

8 March (NC Que Pasa): Pizcadores, víctimas de la codicia

12 March (Raleigh News & Observer): State says women faced exposure to toxins in the fields; Grower denies acting illegally

18 March (Raleigh News & Observer): Pesticide penalties lacking; Violators faced little punishment in state's enforcement system, a records review shows

21 March (Raleigh News & Observer): A bad joke (Editorial); The state's regulation of pesticide use is hampered by weak enforcement, reflecting inadequate fines and short staff

29 March (Raleigh News & Observer): Grower faces new allegation; Ag-Mart worker says he was denied protective gear while he worked with a pesticide.

24 May Raleigh News & Observer: State can't prove birth defect link

http://www.newsobserver.com/1188/story/442930.html

11 June Raleigh News & Observer: Ag-Mart influence alleged; Researchers say the company had a hand in a state report on pesticide exposure

http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/449534.html