Marler Clark files first Federal Cucumber Lawsuit against grower linked to two Salmonella Outbreaks

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash., June 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A Salmonella lawsuit was filed on behalf of Brandi Jackson against Bedner Farm, Inc, in the Southern District of Mississippi Northern Division. Ms. Jackson is represented by Marler Clark, the Food Safety Law Firm, and local counsel Langston & Lott, PLLC. of Bonneville, MS. Complaint # 3:25-cv-00423-DPJ-ASH

"This is the second Salmonella outbreak linked to Bedner Farms in the last two years," said William Marler. "In 32 years of doing food safety cases it is very unusual to see a company sickening customers two years running," added Marler.

On May 13, 2025, Ms. Jackson purchased cucumbers from her local Kroger grocery store in Pearl, Mississippi. Several days later after experiencing symptoms of fever, severe chills, abdominal pain, vomiting and excessive sweating and diarrhea, she was hospitalized for nearly a week. Testing revealed a bloodborne Salmonella infection. Upon discharge, Ms. Jackson was sent home with an IV catheter to administer intravenous antibiotics to treat the infection. She continues to recover from her illness and injuries; it is unclear whether she will have long-term medical issues after consuming Salmonella tainted cucumbers.

2025 Cucumber Outbreak

• As of May 30, 2025, a total of 45 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from 18 states.
• States with reported cases include Alabama 1, California 1, Colorado 1, Florida 6, Georgia 7, Illinois 4, Indiana 1, Kansas 1, Kentucky 1, Massachusetts 1, Michigan 2, North Carolina 3, New York 3, Ohio 4, Pennsylvania 3, South Carolina 2, Tennessee 1 and Virginia 3.
• People reported buying and eating cucumbers from a variety of locations including grocery stores, restaurants, hospitals and on cruise ships.
• Eight sick people reported taking a cruise during the seven days prior to becoming sick, all departing from locations in Florida. Three people traveled on the same ship.
• Sick people were aboard 6 different cruise ships that departed the United States between March 30 and April 12. Illnesses started on dates ranging from April 2, 2025, to May 10, 2025.
• 16 people have been hospitalized, with no deaths reported.

Investigation Facts

• FDA's traceback investigation identified Bedner Growers Inc. as the common grower of cucumbers in this outbreak.
• FDA conducted an inspection at Bedner Farm in April 2025 as a follow up to a previous outbreak. During their inspection, an environmental sample was identified as the outbreak strain of Salmonella.
• A product sample of Bedner Growers, Inc., cucumbers from a distribution center in Pennsylvania also detected Salmonella Montevideo, which matched the outbreak strain of illness in this outbreak.
• Other types of Salmonella were detected in the cucumber samples collected, originating from Bedner Growers, Inc. In addition to Salmonella Montevideo, multiple other strains of Salmonella, unrelated to this outbreak investigation, matched other isolates in the National Center for Biotechnology Information's database that occurred in 2025 and previous years. CDC is working to determine if additional human illnesses match these additional strains.
• CDC advises businesses not to sell or serve whole cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers Inc. and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc. between April 29, 2025, and May 19, 2025, while the investigation is ongoing. If you have any whole cucumbers in your home and can't tell where they are from, throw them out.

2024 Cucumber Outbreak and Investigation

Watch video of Salmonella attorney, William Marler, discuss details of 2024 cucumber outbreak

In June 2024, the CDC announced a multistate outbreak of salmonellosis associated with cucumbers. As of August 22, 2024, a total of 551 cases had been reported by 34 states and the District of Columbia. Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 11, 2024 to July 26, 2024. Of 456 people with information available, 155 were hospitalized, with no deaths reported.

Investigators detected two types of Salmonella in those sickened, Salmonella Africana (n=282) and Salmonella Braenderup (n=269). The CDC and FDA combined investigations of these two serotypes as they shared several similarities, including where and when illnesses occurred, the demographics of ill people and the foods they reported eating before they became sick.

FDA's traceback investigation identified Bedner Growers, Inc. in Florida as one of the suppliers of cucumbers in this outbreak.

About The Food Safety Law Firm Marler Clark

 Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation's leading law firm with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. During the last 32 years, Marler Clark has represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and has recovered over $900 million for clients.

Marler Clark has litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants. The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you're interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact Marler Clark for a free case evaluation.

SOURCE Marler Clark, Inc., P.S.