Blakeley Peanut Plant Halts Production Over Salmonella Outbreak

"Peanut Proud:" Blakeley City Hall. (Dave Bender/file)

A peanut butter maker with a plant in southwest Georgia has stopped production. The move comes after a string of food poisoning incidents.

"PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA... HAS ANNOUNCED A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF PEANUT BUTTER PRODUCED IN ITS BLAKELEY, GEORGIA PROCESSING FACILITY," a recording on a PCA hotline said.

Officials at PCA say they're cooperating with a Food and Drug Administration investigation.

FDA officials say salmonella-tainted peanut butter has killed three people in Virginia and Minnesota, and sickened some 400 others in 42 states since last fall.

The company is voluntarily recalling all of their "King Nut" and "Parnell's Pride," commercial peanut butter batches nationwide.

The company says about 1,000 cases went out to restaurants and institutions, and were not sold directly to consumers.

The recall is taking place as the 33rd annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show opens in Albany on Thursday.

Organizers say they expect to host some 1,500 industry officials and local farmers at the day-long event.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of previous similar food poisoning incidents.

Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition opens

More than 100-thousand visitors will be in Moultrie this week checking out satellite steered cotton pickers, antique tractors, and the latest in all things agricultural.
The Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition is known as North America's premier farm show. The expo provides more than a thousand exhibitors a chance to show off their products to buyers from all over the country.
The event is also important to South Georgia's economy, bringing in an additional 17-million dollars a year. The 700-acre complex in Moultrie features indoor and outdoor exhibits.
In an effort to appeal to a bigger audience the expo also features presentations on hunting and fishing as well as the opportunity to test drive ATV's, trucks, and tractors. The expo runs through Thursday.

Demand for Georgia peanuts going up

Georgia peanut farmers will need to plant more crops this year in order to meet demand around the world. Prices for the official state crop are going up as well.

China, normally one of the world's largest suppliers of peanuts, will not export any. The weak U.S. dollar also makes peanuts a bargain for places like Europe and Japan.

U.S. energy policy has affected peanut prices as well. Energy and world demand for food have driven up grain and soybean prices. Crops are competing for farmland with ethanol production.

Another factor, the recession. During tough economic times people consume more peanut butter. Demand is up 24% over this time last year.

Georgia's 2-billion dollar peanut industry produces 50-thousand jobs and 45% of all peanuts grown in the United States.