SPENCER, IOWA (AP) -- The national egg recall took center stage at a debate between Iowa's top agriculture official and the man hoping to take his job.
Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey joined Democratic challenger Francis Thicke in Spencer for Saturday's debate.
The Daily Reporter of Spencer reports that Thicke said the recall has damaged Iowa's reputation. Eggs from two Iowa farms have been linked to as many as 1,500 salmonella poisoning cases and more than half a billion eggs have been recalled.
If he's elected, Thicke said he'd implement a regulatory system that includes vaccinating laying hens and monthly inspections of egg-laying facilities. Northey noted that the source of the salmonella has not yet been confirmed, and cautioned against drawing conclusions too quickly.
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