DEWITT, Mich. — A cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened more than 6,000 people in Michigan has driven a surge in demand for locally grown lettuce at Pondside Farms in DeWitt.
WATCH: DEWITT FARM SEES BOOST IN BUSINESS AMID CYCLOSPORIASIS OUTBREAK
Co-owner Caleb Bancroft said the spike in cases has customers seeking out local produce and asking more questions about how it is grown.
"In the beginning of the season no one was looking for lettuce and now everybody is looking for lettuce," Bancroft said. "We just planted some more to hopefully catch up with demand," Bancroft said.
WATCH: FDA SAID TAYLOR FARMS LETTUCE SAMPLE TESTED FOR CYCLOSPORA CAME BACK FALSE POSITIVE
Bancroft noted the lettuce he grows takes time to mature, anywhere between one to two months. The increased demand has translated directly to revenue.
"We've made 70% more profit on just the lettuce this year, and it hasn't even ended, than we did last year," Bancroft said.
Bancroft said customers are asking specifically about farming techniques and chemical use.
"I've gotten a lot of questions about my farming technique and if we spray, that's very much what they're interested in, is looking for chemical-free produce. They're also looking to see if we practice organic practices," he said.
Bancroft said he hopes federal officials will use the outbreak as an opportunity to invest more in small farms and reduce dependence on international produce.
"Reduce the amount of logistics, reduce the amount of dependence we have on other countries where the standard of growing isn't as strict as it is here. So I think that we need to try and bring a lot of our food back home," Bancroft said.
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