DENVER (AP) – The governor’s annual forum on Colorado agriculture is featuring discussions on food safety and how to reduce outbreaks.

Thursday’s conference comes after a listeria outbreak was traced to cantaloupes grown at Jensen Farms in Colorado. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the outbreak has killed 32 people around the country. The CDC calls it the worst foodborne illness since 1920s.

Gov. John Hickenlooper spoke to attendees in the morning about the importance of the agriculture in leading the state out of the recession. Exports from the state rose by 20 percent last year.

Other topics on the agenda include the listeria outbreak and dealing with third-party farm audits. Jensen Farms was given a “superior” inspection rating by a third-party auditor just before the outbreak.

By Rema Rahman, AP Writer(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)