Senators Join Florida Tomato Pickers’ Cause

By Michelle Fabio

In the ongoing battle between tomato growers and tomato pickers in Florida, there are some new players—namely four United States senators including Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), head of the Health, Education, and Labor Committee.

In response to Burger King’s threat to stop buying Florida tomatoes, Senators Kennedy, Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) are urging the fast food change to agree to pay a penny more a pound for tomatoes, similar to provisions in agreements signed by McDonald’s Corp. and Yum Brands Inc., which owns Taco Bell. Read the rest of this entry »