Blakely Peanut Plant Gets Tour By Victim's Lawyer

A lawyer representing victims in the recent nationwide salmonella outbreak will today tour the south Georgia peanut plant linked to that outbreak. The attorney will be joined by a team of experts inside the Peanut Corporation of America plant in Blakely. Today’s tour follows one at a PCA plant in Texas. The outbreak sickened hundreds across the country, and linked to the deaths of nine people. Several lawsuits are pending against the company.

CDC Says Little Progress In U.S. Food Safety

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta says Americans did not suffer more food poisoning in 2008, despite high-profile cases like the peanut butter salmonella outbreak linked to a south Georgia plant. But a new CDC study also warns that Georgia and a handful of other states have made little—if any-progress in food safety over the past four years.

The study’s key statement is this: The U.S. has "reached a plateau in the prevention of food-borne disease." It calls for new efforts to make food safer from the farm to the table.

The CDC’s study looked at 10 states, including Georgia. It showed the number of food-borne infections declining over the past decade. But, by 2004 they leveled-off. And Georgia in particular has the second-highest rate of salmonella among the 10 states.

That’s due in part to the latest salmonella outbreak at a peanut plant in Blakely, which sickened nearly 700 people nationwide.

State lawmakers answered that alarm in the just-completed legislative session by overwhelmingly passing a bill to toughen food safety rules and regulations. State Republican Senator John Bulloch says the bill he co-sponsored is a good start:

"The tools that we put in place for the Dept of Agriculture is a great improvement over what they had before. Do the things need to be changed?...we don’t know. It may be that next year we need to come back as we see how these new changes have been implemented and what results they have, and maybe there are some other things that need to be changed."

Bulloch says changes already made within the state’s Agriculture Department include an additional five food inspectors in the field, with three of those positions newly-created by the Legislature.

But Bulloch also points out that Georgia should not be taking all the blame for failures in the inspection pipeline:

"At what point does the Food and Drug Administration…where’s their responsibilities? Have they done and have been doing a good job? And I’d say no, they need to change their rules and regulations."

Federal food safety officials say they’re using new tools in an aggressive approach toward reducing food-contamination.

Here in Georgia, Bulloch believes things will get better:

"I would say that going forward, the consuming public should have a higher level of confidence that the products that go to the grocery shelf would be from a Georgia-facility would be by far safer than it could have been in the past."

Senate Bill-80 toughening Georgia’s food safety rules and regulations, awaits Governor Sonny Perdue’s signature.

Blakely Touts Peanut Pride

The city of Blakely over the weekend put itself in the spotlight trying to boost its image. The first Peanut Proud Expo held Saturday was a celebration at a time when Georgia’s peanut industry has been rocked by a salmonella outbreak.

Blakely is home to the Peanut Corporation of America plant that was linked to the outbreak, sickening nearly 700 people and possibly responsible for nine deaths.

Blakely Chamber of Commerce officials say an estimated 2,000 people attended the Saturday event.

Peanut Expo Counters Bad Publicity

Representatives from the peanut industry plan to gather in Blakely in southwest Georgia to boost the image of the legume that has suffered a bout of bad publicity lately. Industry representatives will gather Saturday in the town's court square for the Peanut Proud Expo. The event will feature live music, free peanut snacks, educational exhibits and a peanut recipe contest. Blakely is home to the Peanut Corp. of America plant that was linked to the national salmonella outbreak that prompted one of the largest retail recalls ever, sickened nearly 700 people and may have been responsible for nine deaths. The peanut industry supports some 50,000 jobs in Georgia.

(Associated Press)

Local Officials to Inspect Food Plants

In response to the recent salmonella outbreak in peanut products, the Georgia House passed a bill allowing the State Agriculture Commission to deputize county and city health workers to inspect food processing plants.


One of the big complaints from the state Agriculture commission is that they may have missed the signs because they don't have enough food safety inspectors. HB 381 would allow the state to commission local health inspectors to poke around the approximately five hundred fifty food manufacturers. Republican Representative Terry England of Auburn says these local health workers would only visit facilities.

"They’re not allowed at any point to shut an operation down, but if they find something suspicious they are to notify the department of agriculture."

The bill does not lay out how these local workers will be trained to spot defects at manufacturing plants. These local inspectors would also need to know if a food processor is violating federal rules and report those concerns to federal authorities. The salmonella outbreak is blamed for nine deaths.

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Video: Peanut Co. Owner Urged Shipping Tainted Products

Internal e-mails indicate the owner of a peanut company urged his workers to ship tainted products after receiving test results identifying salmonella.

The company e-mails obtained by a House committee show Peanut Corp. of America owner Stewart Parnell ordered the shipments tainted with the bacteria because he was worried about lost sales.

Parnell was ordered to appear before Congress today to discuss the outbreak that has led to 600 illnesses and eight deaths blamed on his Georgia plant. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, revealed the internal correspondence from the company during a House Energy and Commerce hearing.

(AP)

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Report: Insecticides at Peanut Plant

Federal inspectors found that a Georgia peanut plant now at the center of a salmonella outbreak exposed some of its equipment to insecticides in 2001. In a report based on that visit nearly eight years ago, inspectors said that workers at the Peanut Corp. of America's plant used an insecticide fogger not suitable for food areas and didn't wash its equipment. Those findings in 2001 are similar to problems discovered last month after the company shipped salmonella-tainted peanuts and peanut butter linked to at least eight deaths and 575 illnesses in 43 states.

(Associated Press)

GBI Says No to Investigation While Docs Show More Peanut Problems

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will not investigate Peanut Corporation of America’s Blakely operations. The head of GBI says any criminal investigation is best handled at the federal level.

Meanwhile, federal documents showing the plant had sanitary and contamination problems as far back as 2001.

According to the Food and Drug Administration documents, peanut products processed at the Blakely facility contained Aflatoxins, a common fungus in peanuts that in very rare cases can cause death. The documents also show federal inspectors found cobwebs, dead insects and spaces large enough for rodents to crawl through in the facility.

In 2007, inspectors cited a leaky roof at the plant over where peanuts were stored. Many of the problems appear in more report. The documents raise questions as to why the plant was allowed to continue operating without correcting the findings.

Officials at the FDA are not commenting, and PCA says it broke no law, and brought all violations into compliance.

Perdue: Peanut Company Broke a 'Sacred Trust'

Governor Sonny Perdue on Wednesday said a “sacred trust,” was broken between the Peanut Corporation of America and consumers over the spreading salmonella debacle at the company’s Blakely plant.

Perdue and state agriculture officials are circling the peanut wagons and throwing their full backing behind Georgia’s farmers, food producers and distributors.


Governor Sonny Perdue makes a point to the several hundred industry leaders, farmers and legislators at the Georgia Agribusiness Council State Legislative Breakfast, held in downtown Atlanta on Feb. 4, 2009. (Photo: Dave Bender)

At a Georgia Agribusiness Council State Legislative Breakfast, Perdue told several hundred industry leaders:

“When people violate that sacred chain of food safety control, they will be prosecuted and held accountable; it is too important not to…(applause)”

Perdue faced a room packed with a veritable roll-call of food and ag industry officials.

Many worry that the an spreading peanut recall could prompt an already uncertain public could shun other preach-state-grown-and-produced foods.

Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin, says his department will reorganize to face the daunting task of better monitoring farms and factories across the state:

”Our inspectors have 16,000 facilities they have to inspect. You have to do that today with 60 employees – it’s impossible to give the necessary coverage that, apparently, we need.”

Irvin says his office will ask the legislature to establish a division to deal exclusively with checking processed foods.

The General Assembly is already mulling a mandatory food-testing bill.

Perdue, however, says no amount of externally-enforced inspections can replace a responsible food industry:

“In the food chain, there is a voluntary compliance: we share a sacred trust of safety among our producers, processors, preparers and servers of food – and you cannot be everywhere at one time.”

House Speaker Bill Richardson holds up a bag of Georgia peanuts, during his comments at the Georgia Agribusiness Council State Legislative Breakfast, held in downtown Atlanta on Feb. 4, 2009. (Photo: Dave Bender)

To make a point of that trust, House Speaker Glenn Richardson held up a small bag of Georgia peanuts as he stood behind the podium:

"One of the fringe benefits of being at the capitol, is [that] the Department of Agriculture brings these Georgia peanuts by (opens foil packet); they leave them at our office. And everybody that comes to our office loves these, and you know what?… (eants a few peanuts) I love Georgia peanuts. (applause).”

And those Georgia peanuts make up almost half of all peanuts used in the United States.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the salmonella-tainted peanut products.

Peanut Plant Hot Topic At Ag Event

Georgia’s top elected officials will mingle with leaders of the state’s agriculture industry this morning in Atlanta. The occasion is the annual breakfast of the Georgia Agribusiness Council. But this year, a hot topic of discussion is expected to be the salmonella outbreak linked to a southwest Georgia peanut processing plant. Governor Sonny Perdue is scheduled to speak at the event and make his first public comments on the matter. Other officials on-hand this morning include Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin.

Other news concerning the peanut plant--The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will meet with federal officials involved with the criminal investigation into the plant and the owner—Peanut Corporation of America. Governor Perdue has called-on the GBI to review whether any state laws were broken.

Georgia On It's Way to Becoming Food Regs Leader

The Georgia General Assembly is considering a bill that would require mandatory testing for harmful pathogens at food warehouses, manufacturing plants and "food sales establishments."

All test results would be sent to state officials.

Similar plans have been floated before, mainly by critics of the current food safety system. Generally, those proposals follow large scale outbreaks and huge recalls.

Each time, the food and agricultural industry, even in the height of "crisis," have fought back mandatory testing.

And making those results public by forking them over to state officials has been a non starter.

Large firms have argued the measures aren't necessary as testing protocol often already exists. Small firms and family run operations have successfully lobbied against similar measures in California, telling lawmakers the tests will cut their bottom line.

So it's a big deal when Georgia looks to become a leader in food testing regulations.

"It's a great first step," said lawyer Bill Marler. He's suing the company at the center of the recent outbreak of salmonella in peanut products. "Not perfect, not enough, but a start" Marler wrote on his blog.

The bill would give the Georgia Agricultural Commissioner the power to set up the specific guidelines. Tests would need to happen once a year, at minimum.

Peanut Corporation of America, the operators of the now closed Blakely facility, have been accused by the Food and Drug Administration of knowingly shipping tainted product for distribution. The company disputes those charges, and says the FDA's report is inaccurate.

So far eight deaths have been attributed to the tainted peanut products.

“When people’s lives are at stake, food safety inspections should not be subject to lax regulations,” said Republican Sen. John Bulloch, who introduced the legislation.

“Consumers must be assured their food is safe and we must protect the integrity of Georgia’s producers. Much of our economy depends on the state’s agriculture industry, which cannot afford to suffer the negative impacts of food recalls.”

Peanut Butter Investigation Sparks Obama Comment

The nationwide salmonella scare and recall of hundreds of peanut butter products has now drawn comments from the White House. President Obama says he promises a full review of the Food and Drug Administration amid the outbreak linked to the Blakely, Georgia peanut processing plant.

Obama says the FDA has not been able to catch problems as quickly as he would like. On Friday, the FDA requested a federal investigation into Virginia-based Peanut Corporation of America. The Blakely-plant has been closed with its workers laid-off. The salmonella-outbreak has sickened more than 500 people nationwide, possibly leading to eight deaths. More than 400 products have been recalled.

Recalled Peanut Butter Sent to Schools Out-of-State

Salmonella contaminated peanut butter may have entered the National School Lunch Program.

The US department of Agriculture says schools in California, Idaho and Minnesota received products on the rapidly expanding recall list.

Federal officials have sourced the salmonella outbreak to the peanut corporation of America in Blakely. It’s now under federal Criminal investigation because officials say company records show the plant knew of the potential problem last year. Peanut butter tested positive for salmonella at least 12 times in 2007, but was distributed after it was retested and cleared.

The USDA believes most of the recalled food has been consumed.

(Associated Press)

Peanut Butter Now Included in Recall

Federal investigators are concerned salmonella could be in yet more peanut products. The company at the center of the outbreak is expanding it's recall to include all peanut products made at it's Blakely, Ga., facilities since January of 2007.

Virginia-based Peanut Corporation of America issued the recall after it was revealed the company found salmonella in it's own testing and did not report it. The Food and Drug Administration also alleges PCA knowingly sold tainted product.

It's not yet clear what brands used PCA peanuts.

The FDA's Stephen Sudlof said on a conference call that his agency is working with various companies to aid in the recall:

"These additional products are being recalled because there is concern of potential salmonella contamination including contamination with salmonella strains not associated with the current outbreak."

Cases of salmonella poisoning have been dropping off, according to federal scientists. Over five hundred have been sickened, and eight people are believed to have died from the salmonella contamination.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of this story.

Reports Show Problems at Blakely Plant

State Agriculture reports show the Blakely peanut butter plant at the center of a salmonella investigation has a history of sanitation problems. Records indicate the southwest Georgia processing plant had been cited for cleanliness issues in 2006 and ’07. Inspection reports from last year showed similar and other problems. And the now-closed plant during two routine inspections last year showed no indications of samples having been taken for salmonella testing. The salmonella outbreak has sickened 500 people and been linked to seven deaths. More than 125 products have been recalled nationwide.

To see a copy of the reports, click here.

Peanut Problems Compound

As the salmonella recall of products containing peanut butter continues to expand, a Washington state lawyer is calling on the company with Georgia operations to pay funeral costs for the six people believed to have died from the outbreak.

That comes as Virginia based Peanut Corporation of America announced it's laying off the majority of it's workforce.

Bill Marler filed suit against PCA. The Seattle based lawyer represents the family of a person believed to have died as a result of consuming salmonella laced products processed at the Georgia's company's plant. In addition to asking PCA to cover hospital and funeral costs for those sickened by the outbreak, Marler also wants to investigate claims crack in the peanut processing machinery led to the salmonella contamination.

"We'll be asking the court to allow us entry into the facility so we can have our experts doing our own investigation as to why this outbreak occurred."

State and Federal health officials are currently investigating the cause of the outbreak.

Over 180 products, from snack crackers to protein bars, have been recalled.

Marler's entry into the case signals the large size and scope of this outbreak. He specializes in class action food borne illness cases, and litigated the 2006 E. Coli outbreak in spinach. California farming company executives literally cursed his name during that outbreak, which crippled the California agricultural industry. Marler says there are similarities in the two cases.

"Death cases in spinach were four, this one six. Yet, the other people who become ill, even though the numbers are bigger, the severity of the illnesses for salmonella tend to be substantially less, fortunately."

Marler has negotiated similar settlements for millions of dollars.

The potential cost, and current investigation, might be one reason PCA laid off a majority of it's workforce at the Blakely plant. Workers showed up to the plant yesterday to locked doors. It was only today the company president announced through a statement just three managers would remain on staff to aid the investigation. It's unclear exactly how many workers were let go, although the plant employs between 45-50 people, according to the local chamber of commerce.

Equipment Crack May be Cause of Salmonella Outbreak

Georgia officials are still trying to determine the cause of the salmonella outbreak that's been linked to six deaths and more than 150 product recalls.

A crack in a piece of equipment that processes peanuts in a plant in Blakely, Georgia might be the cause of the nationwide salmonella outbreak. That’s according to state agriculture officials.

Department of Agriculture spokesman Oscar Garrison says they will continue to work with the US Food and Drug Administration to find the exact cause.

“There are some environmental samples that were taken by FDA that have turned up some positives as well as a couple of product samples take by our department that have turned up some positive results as well for salmonella.”

While salmonella isn't normally expected to turn up in peanut butter, 486 people from 43 states have contracted the illness.

All of the products recalled so far use peanut butter or peanut paste from the plant in southwest Georgia. But officials say peanut butter on store shelves is safe because they don’t sell directly to consumers.

Greens Laud Power Co. Pullout From Coal Power Station

Houston-based Dynegy Corporation is dropping its support for a controversial coal-fired power plant in Southwest Georgia.

Dynegy officials say they're pulling out of the Longleaf power station project near Blakeley because of the poor economy and the possibility of tighter federal regulations.

Environmental groups are thrilled. The project ground to a halt last year amid a flurry of lawsuits over pollution controls.

Jennette Gayer of Environment Georgia says the project doesn't stand a chance now that one of its two backers has pulled out:

"It's very exciting that Dynegy cancelled their plans to build a large coal plant in early county. It's clear that Georgia has the technology, know how to provide energy without a polluting coal plant, so it's very nice to see an energy company reacting to that reality."

Officials for the company that owns the project remain optimistic, however.

New Jersey-based LS Power hopes an appeal of the court ruling this month will get the project restarted by this summer.

Click here for ongoing GPB News coverage of this story.

Firm Says Proposed Power Plant Still On Track

The Houston-based Dynegy Corporation said on Friday it was walking away from the joint venture with New York's LS Power to construct a coal-fired power plant in southwest Georgia.

Dynegy says they took the decision due to tight credit markets and economic uncertainty.

However, LS Power, who’ll own 100-percent of the proposed $2 billion facility, say they're going ahead with the project, set along the Chattahoochee River.

Project Manager Mike Vogt:

"We're going to push forward with the development of this plant, and ultimately customers -- hopefully in Georgia -- will decide that it does have a place and will decide that it does have a place."

Vogt says his company is also appealing a court decision from late last year that halted the project over air pollution concerns:

"The briefings will be finished in January 2009, and the court of appeals will make their decision sometime before June of 2009."

Environmentalists say the facilities' smokestacks will emit unchecked amounts of carbon dioxide, sulfur, and coal dust.

Supporters of the project say it’ll bring hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in tax-revenue to Early County – one of the state's poorest.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the proposed Longleaf Power plant.

Coal-Fired Power Plant Co-investor Ends Joint Venture

Power producer Dynegy Inc. on Friday said it plans to dissolve a development joint venture with LS Power Associates LP, due to constrained credit markets and economic uncertainty.

Dynegy will record an undisclosed loss in 2009 related to the transaction while LS Power will receive about $19 million in cash during the first quarter to reflect the relative value of assets exchanged.

The two companies agreed to the dissolution and that Dynegy will acquire exclusive rights, ownership and developmental control of all repowering or expansion opportunities related to its existing portfolio of operation assets.

LS Power will acquire full ownership and developmental rights associated with various "greenfield" projects under consideration in Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan and Nevada, as well as other power generation and transmission development projects not related to Dynegy's existing operating portfolio of assets.

"Today, the development of new generation is increasingly marked by barriers to entry including external credit and regulatory factors that make development much more uncertain," said Bruce Williamson, Dynegy's chief executive.

"In light of these market circumstances, Dynegy has elected to focus development activities and investments around our own portfolio where we control the option to develop and can manage the costs being incurred more closely."

Click here for previous GPB News coverage of this developing story.

(AP)