Outbreaks of salmonellosis in the United States in 1991 and 1993 were epidemiologically linked to the consumption of raw tomatoes that originated from the same fresh-market tomato packinghouse in both years. This is a case study of the response of public agencies and an industry association to a food safety crisis and the ensuring development, implementation, monitoring, and verification of a HACCP program that was proposed to serve as a model for the fresh-market tomato industry. Challenges faced by regulatory agencies in monitoring the operations of fresh-market fruit and vegetable handling facilities are discussed. Activities of an interagency food safety committee that was formed to deal with crisis management are described. The status of current research by private industry on safety related issues is briefly reviewed.