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EL CENTRO, Calif. (AP) - Spinach grower Jack Vessey sees dollar signs as the little green leaves of his winter crop sprout from the rich, desert soil of the Imperial Valley.
But this year, he may struggle to break even if consumers remain wary about eating spinach after an E. coli outbreak killed three people and sickened nearly 200 others nationwide.
The contamination was traced to the Salinas Valley — more than 400 miles to the north of Vessey's fields. Even so, it threatens his bottom line as uncertain demand wreaks havoc with his growing schedule.
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