Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Forces California Lettuce Growers to Dump Crops
California lettuce growers, including Salinas Valley farms, are destroying and pulling crops as demand collapses from a cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to Taylor Farms, with July lettuce sales down 8.7% and some growers reporting 20–30% revenue declines; the outbreak has sickened about 1,947 people across nine states, prompting discounts on lettuce-free menu items and layoffs for farmworkers.