USA - MISSOURI: Local Farms Increase Safety Amid Cyclospora Outbreak

Patrick Clark

July 18, 2026

ST. LOUIS – Local farms and restaurants are proactively addressing customer concerns about food safety following a Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce from Mexico. The outbreak has been confirmed in 30 states, prompting local establishments to highlight their stringent safety protocols.

The proactive measures are being taken as it is tomato and corn season at Thies Farm in Maryland Heights.

The Cyclospora outbreak, traced to iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell, has led to heightened awareness regarding produce contamination.

In response, local businesses like Thies Farm and Neon Greens are detailing the precautions they take to ensure the safety of their produce.

Thies Farm, a fifth-generation family-owned farm located in Maryland Heights, maintains a rigorous water testing schedule.

Andrew Welle, co-owner of Thies Farm and Market, explained that the farm tests its water four times a year. “They want to see that our water is tested four times a year. Then we have a well we use in the barn and that goes through a UV system. UV lights kill the parasites that you have to worry about like the one from Taco Bell,” Welle said.

The farm’s well water in the barn is processed through a UV system designed to eliminate parasites, mirroring concerns raised by the recent outbreak.

Separately, Neon Greens, an urban farm and restaurant hybrid in The Grove, has turned to social media to update patrons on its lettuce production.

Josh Smith, owner of Neon Greens, outlined the advantages of their closed-environment agriculture. “We’re able to control the sun which are our led’s and the water, the best city water. We’re able to add nutrients to that water as you would your home,” Smith said.

The establishment grows three types of lettuce vertically within a thermally efficient shipping container, combining urban farming with a restaurant model off Manchester.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published.