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Conagra Recall

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Mike

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10/10/07
Pot Pie Recall: ConAgra Shuts Plant
Salmonella Outbreak has Sickened 139 People in 30 States

ConAgra has shut the plant that produced generic store-brand chicken and turkey pot pies, after the Department of Agriculture identified 139 people in 30 states who had become ill after eating salmonella-tainted pot pies, according to USA Today.

The frozen pot pies, which were sold under various labels, have the number P-9 printed on the side of the packages, and should be thrown out.
 
Good checking Mike; also found this The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported 139 people in 30 states have been linked to the consumption of ConAgra's Banquet Pot Pies. The states with ill persons are: Arizona (1 person), California (5), Connecticut (3), Delaware (5), Georgia (2), Idaho (2), Illinois (3), Indiana (3), Kansas (2), Kentucky (7), Massachusetts (5), Maryland (5), Maine (1), Minnesota (5), Missouri (11), Montana (4), Nevada (6), New York (6), Ohio (6), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (13), Tennessee (5), Texas (4), Utah (2), Virginia (6), Vermont (2), Washington (1), Wisconsin (19), Wyoming (2). At least 20 people have been hospitalized.

It may be the pie crust ingredients from China.

William Marler called on ConAgra this morning "to do the right thing for its customers and to immediately recall all of its Banquet Pot Pies without question and without hesitation." According to a press release this morning, the CDC announced, "The outbreak appears to be ongoing." Marler added, "As of last night these products were still on store shelves and in fact were on sale -- 2 for $1.00. ConAgra, the USDA and all health authorities, should put people's safety above sales."
 
"As of last night these products were still on store shelves and in fact were on sale -- 2 for $1.00. ConAgra, the USDA and all health authorities, should put people's safety above sales."

Makes it hard to agree with the "Voluntary" Recall Rules, huh?
 
Missouri Plant Shut Down In Pot Pie Recall

Created: 10/9/2007 6:18:04 PM
Last updated: 10/10/2007 12:40:31 PM

By JOSH FUNK
AP Business Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- ConAgra Foods Inc. voluntarily stopped production Tuesday at the Missouri plant that makes its Banquet pot pies after health officials said the pies may be linked to 139 cases of salmonella in 30 states.



ConAgra officials believe the company's pies are safe if they're cooked properly, but the Omaha-based company told consumers Tuesday not to eat its chicken or turkey pot pies until the government and company investigations are complete.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also issued a health alert Tuesday afternoon to warn consumers about the link between the company's product and the salmonella cases.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been tracking reports of the salmonella cases since Wednesday. A CDC spokeswoman said the largest numbers of salmonella cases had been reported in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Missouri.


Salmonella sickens about 40,000 people a year in the U.S. and kills about 600. Most of the deaths are among people with weaker immune systems such as the elderly or very young. It can cause diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting. Most cases of salmonella poisoning are caused by undercooked eggs and chicken.

So far no deaths have been linked to the pot pies.

Earlier this year, ConAgra had to recall all of its peanut butter because it was linked to a different salmonella outbreak.

The USDA said the Marshall, Mo., plant made Banquet and generic store brand pot pies. All of the pot pies made at the plant in question have "P-9" printed on the side of the box as part of a code above the use-by date.

ConAgra spokeswoman Stephanie Childs said she didn't know how many people worked at the Marshall plant or what would happen to them during the shut down.


Federal officials said consumers shouldn't throw away or eat the chicken or turkey pot pies until the Food Safety and Inspection Service can determine the source of the salmonella contamination and verify proper cooking instructions.

ConAgra is offering consumers refunds, but no recall of pot pies was being planned Tuesday.

Childs said ConAgra is confident in the safety of its chicken and turkey pot pies when all the cooking instructions on the package are followed. It is especially important to follow the directions when the pies are cooked in a microwave.

Pot pies need to be cooked longer in microwaves that have less power, Childs said. A good sign that the pot pie is done is when steam rises out of it.

Childs said the cooking will kill any common pathogens routinely found in uncooked products that contain poultry.

The company already is planning to revise the cooking directions on its pot pie packages to clarify how long the pies should be cooked in different microwaves.

Currently, the Banquet pot pie package advises consumers to cook the product for 4 minutes in a medium or high wattage microwave or for 6 minutes in a low wattage microwave. But the package doesn't say how to determine what defines a low, medium or high wattage microwave.

Childs said ConAgra is working with federal investigators to determine whether additional precautions are necessary.

"If any indications are found that the product poses risks to consumers when cooked according to package directions, the company will take further action immediately," ConAgra said in a statement.

Michigan State University professor Elliot Ryser said he didn't think pot pies had been known as a problem product in the past. But the food microbiologist said consumers shouldn't have to worry much about pot pies as long as they are completely cooked.

Cooking pot pies in a microwave can be problematic because microwaves heat food unevenly, said Ryser, who is part of the university's National Food Safety & Toxicology Center.

"If you're going to heat that product uniformly, it requires some diligence on the part of the consumer," Ryser said.

In February, the CDC linked ConAgra's peanut butter, including Peter Pan, to the illnesses of more than 625 people in 47 states.

ConAgra resumed shipping Peter Pan in August. The company faces several lawsuits filed by people who said they became ill after eating Peter Pan.

------

Consumers who want a refund for their pot pie should send the side panel of the package that contains the "P-9" location code to the following address: ConAgra Foods, Dept. BQPP, P.O. Box 3768, Omaha, NE 68103-0768. Consumers with questions can call the company toll free at (866) 484-8671.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
 
Mike said:
10/10/07
Pot Pie Recall: ConAgra Shuts Plant
Salmonella Outbreak has Sickened 139 People in 30 States

ConAgra has shut the plant that produced generic store-brand chicken and turkey pot pies, after the Department of Agriculture identified 139 people in 30 states who had become ill after eating salmonella-tainted pot pies, according to USA Today.

The frozen pot pies, which were sold under various labels, have the number P-9 printed on the side of the packages, and should be thrown out.

Gee guess where some of those tainted pot pie are? I just found two of them in my freezer in CANADA. Good thing I didn't eat them wouldn't want this to be an international thing.
 
Tam said:
Mike said:
10/10/07
Pot Pie Recall: ConAgra Shuts Plant
Salmonella Outbreak has Sickened 139 People in 30 States

ConAgra has shut the plant that produced generic store-brand chicken and turkey pot pies, after the Department of Agriculture identified 139 people in 30 states who had become ill after eating salmonella-tainted pot pies, according to USA Today.

The frozen pot pies, which were sold under various labels, have the number P-9 printed on the side of the packages, and should be thrown out.

Gee guess where some of those tainted pot pie are? I just found two of them in my freezer in CANADA. Good thing I didn't eat them wouldn't want this to be an international thing.

You probably have nothing to worry about there Tam-- some cantankerous creatures can eat about anything...I had some old goats that could eat glass or drink weed spray and it wouldn't hurt them-- :wink: :lol: Not so sure how poor old Big Muddy would handle it tho !!
 
Pot pies suspected in 30+state Salmonella outbreak
Oct 10, 2007 (CIDRAP News) – Health officials are warning consumers not to eat certain frozen chicken and turkey pot pie products, as federal investigators gather more information on a nationwide Salmonella outbreak that has so far sickened 139 people in 30 states.

Affected products include Banquet frozen chicken or turkey pot pies made by ConAgra Foods—along with generic or store brands of the same two products—that have a printed code ending in "P9" on the package, according to a statement yesterday from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC said the outbreak involves Salmonella enterica serotype I,4,[5],12:i:-, with 139 matching isolates collected from patients between Jan. 1 and Oct. 9, which suggests the outbreak is ongoing. At least 20 people have been hospitalized, the CDC said, but no deaths have been reported. Salmonellosis typically causes fever and nonbloody diarrhea that resolves in a week.

On Oct 3, the CDC launched a multistate case-control study with detailed questions about chicken and egg consumption to determine the outbreak source, according to a public health alert from the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Two days later the CDC added questions about frozen chicken and turkey pot pies, based on epidemiologic findings from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), which had linked Banquet brand pot pies to six cases of salmonellosis.

After the multistate case-control study confirmed Minnesota's finding that linked pot pies to the outbreak, the FSIS on Oct 8 sent investigators to the ConAgra processing plant that produces the pot pies to gather more information, according to the FSIS statement. ConAgra voluntarily stopped production yesterday at the plant, located in Marshall, Mo., the Associated Press reported today.

So far the government agencies have not reported finding the outbreak strain of Salmonella in any pot pies.

ConAgra has not issued a product recall, but yesterday it released a consumer advisory. Though the company advises consumers to avoid eating the pies while the USDA investigates the problem, it believes illnesses are probably related to undercooking of the product by consumers.

"The company reminds consumers that these products are not ready-to-eat and must always be thoroughly cooked as instructed on the packages," ConAgra said in its statement. It added that Salmonella is a common pathogen found in not-ready-to-eat poultry products such as pot pies, and cooking instructions are designed to eliminate any associated risks.

ConAgra said it was working with the USDA to see if any changes to cooking instructions are needed to clarify the proper steps for consumers. "Already, the company is revising its packaging to more clearly illustrate different cooking times for Banquet pot pies related to varying wattages of microwaves," the company said in its statement.

Though the firm didn't issue a recall, the ConAgra statement said consumers can get a refund if they send the side panel of the package bearing the P-9 code to the company.

Two other Salmonella outbreaks in recent years were also linked to undercooked frozen chicken products, one in 2005 and one in 2006.


These pot pies have been shipped to other countrys.
 
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:50 pm Post subject: Minnesota Couple Sues ConAgra Over Alleged Salmonella Illnes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minnesota Couple Sues ConAgra Over Alleged Salmonella Illness

October 11, 2007: 12:46 PM EST

Source of Article: http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200710111246DOWJONESDJONLINE000927_FORTUNE5.htm

OMAHA, Neb. (AP)--A Minnesota couple sued ConAgra Foods Inc. (CAG) Thursday for selling the pot pies they believe made their young daughter ill with salmonella.

The federal lawsuit Amy and Joshua Reinert filed is the first one related to this week's announcement that ConAgra's banquet and generic pot pies had been linked to a salmonella outbreak.

The company and federal officials warned customers not to eat the pot pies and to throw them away, and ConAgra is offering refunds.

A company spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a message Thursday seeking comment about the lawsuit.

Amy Reinert said her daughter Isabelle continued to have diarrhea for nearly six weeks after she initially became ill in August at the age of 19 months.

An ambulance took the youngest of the Reinerts' three children to the emergency room on Aug. 18 after she had a seizure and lost consciousness.

"That was the worst thing I've ever experienced as a parent," Amy Reinert said. "It was horrible."

A few days later, doctors told the Reinerts that Isabelle had salmonella, but it wasn't until this week - after countless interviews with health officials - that the family learned what caused the illness.

Isabelle's salmonella matched the strain of the illness that health officials have linked to at least 152 cases of salmonella in 31 states. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at least 20 people have been hospitalized as part of the ongoing outbreak, but so far no deaths have been linked to the pot pies.

ConAgra officials have said they believe the pot pies are safe when they are thoroughly cooked according to the package directions. The company is revising the cooking directions on its pot pie packages to clarify how long the pies should be cooked in different microwaves.

Currently, the Banquet pot pie package advises consumers to cook the product for 4 minutes in a medium or high wattage microwave or for 6 minutes in a low wattage microwave. But the package doesn't say how to determine what defines a low, medium or high wattage microwave.

Amy Reinert said she always cooked the pot pies longer than that, so she doubts the company's explanation. She cooked them for 7 minutes in the microwave and the put them in the oven for 10 minutes to make the crust crispy.

The lawyer who is handling the Reinerts' lawsuit, Bill Marler, has criticized ConAgra's decision not to immediately recall the product. Marler, of Seattle- based law firm Marler Clark, handles many food-borne illness cases.

Amy Reinert said she was bothered by the company's response.

"I was just so upset and concerned that they seemed to be taking this so lightly," Amy Reinert said.

Salmonella sickens about 40,000 people a year in the U.S. and kills about 600. Most of the deaths are among people with weaker immune systems such as the elderly or very young.

Salmonella poisoning can cause diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting. Most cases are caused by undercooked eggs and chicken.

ConAgra recalls millions of pot pies,about Time Maybe 50,000,000?
 
ConAgra hit by another salmonella scare

By Lorraine Heller

Source of Article: http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=80515-conagra-salmonella-poultry

10/11/2007 - US packaged foods giant ConAgra is being investigated by government officials after some of its frozen poultry products were found to be linked to cases of salmonella.

The company on Tuesday ceased operations at its Missouri plant after the reported illnesses were brought to its attention by the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS).

ConAgra said it believes the issue is likely linked to consumers undercooking the not-ready-to-eat frozen products in question - Banquet Turkey and Chicken Pot Pies. Nevertheless, in agreement and collaboration with USDA, the firm is advising consumers not to eat these products while investigations are being carried out. It is also working on revising its product packaging in order to make cooking instructions clearer.

FSIS said these products were considered the potential source of reported illnesses caused by salmonella based on epidemiological evidence collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State public health departments.

This followed a multi-state case control study launched on October 3, which included detailed questions on chicken and egg consumption. Based on additional information provided by the Minnesota Department of Health, CDC added questions to the study on October 5 focusing on frozen chicken or turkey pot pie product consumption.

FSIS was notified on October 5 that states had identified a product as the potential source of contamination.

After discussions with CDC and the states throughout the weekend, on October 8 FSIS dispatched investigators to gather additional information at ConAgra's plant where these frozen pot pie products were produced.

Until the source of contamination is identified, together with the exact products affected and their production dates, consumers have been advised not to eat any of these chicken or turkey pot pie items. The products are also sold under generic store brands, including brands for Wal-Mart, Food Lion, Kroger, Aldi, Meijer and HEB.

Certain serotypes of Salmonella, which are known to cause human illness, are commonly found in raw meat and poultry. Other food sources, such as produce and eggs, are also known to cause salmonellosis.

ConAgra was earlier this year at the center of another salmonella outbreak across the country. The firm's Peter Pan and Great Value branded peanut butter were linked to sickness that affected at least 425 people across 44 US states.

ConAgra issued a massive recall at the time, and ceased production of the goods until a full investigation had been conducted. The company estimated that the recall would cost $60m.

A report published in June this year by FSIS found that overall, the presence of salmonella in samples of most raw meat and poultry products tested by federal inspectors decreased slightly in the first quarter of 2006. The only increase was seen in ground beef, which was linked to a slight increase in salmonella rates.

In February 2006, FSIS announced several changes to the agency's salmonella testing program, including a faster reporting of results to detect problems more rapidly.

Future FSIS testing will incorporate sampling of turkey carcasses and increase testing frequency at plants with process-control problems. The change to the testing program is part of the FSIS' bid to reduce salmonella in raw meat and poultry products.
 
BULLROAR ,ConAgra said it believes the issue is likely linked to consumers undercooking the not-ready-to-eat frozen products in question.
 
Minnisota expands salmonella warning
State health officials Friday expanded a recall of ConAgra pot pies in the wake of dozens of reports of illness across 32 states, including six Minnesotans. The expanded recall includes all varieties of ConAgra frozen pot pies.

By Matt McKinney, Star Tribune

Last update: October 12, 2007 – 4:00 PM
State health officials Friday expanded a recall of ConAgra pot pies in the wake of dozens of reports of illness across 32 states, including six Minnesotans. The expanded recall includes all varieties of ConAgra frozen pot pies.
So far, 174 people have been sickened.

The company makes pot pies under the following brand names: Banquet, Albertson's, Food Lion, Great Value, Hill Country Fare, Kirkwood, Kroger, Meijer, and Western Family. The recalled frozen pot pies include all varieties in 7 oz. single serving packages bearing an establishment number "P-9" or "Est. 1059" printed on the side of the package.

The pot pies should be thrown away, the health department said.

Signs of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, cramps and vomiting. The symptoms wear off within one week, but may hold serious consequences for the very young, the elderly and those with weak immune systems.
The Giant Food and Stop & Shop supermarket chains said Wednesday that they were pulling the questionable pot pies from their stores' shelves as a precaution. Giant Food has 186 stores in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C., while Stop & Shop has 389 stores in seven northeastern states.
More information about the national outbreak can be found on the Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov.
 
7 more cases of salmonella in Colorado connected to recall

written by: Jeffrey Wolf , Web Producer
10/17/2007

Source of Article: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=79218


DENVER – The Colorado State Health Department says there have been seven cases in Colorado connected to a pot pie recall following an outbreak of salmonella.


The Health Department says two of the cases were in Adams County, two were in El Paso County, in addition to cases in Jefferson, Mesa and Weld Counties.

Nationally, at least 211 people from 35 different states have become ill from the pot pies.

Health officials say the public should not eat ConAgra's Banquet brand or any generic store brand frozen pot pies. Instead, you should either return or discard them.

The following brands and all varieties of frozen pot pie products, including chicken, turkey and beef, are subject to the recall:

• Banquet
• Kroger (sold at King Soopers and City Market)
• Great Value (sold at Wal-Mart nationally)
• Albertson's
• Food Lion
• Hill Country Fare
• Kirkwood
• Meijer
• Western Family

Recalled frozen pot pies include all varieties in 7-ounce single serving packages with an establishment number "P-9" or "Est. 1059" printed on the side of the package.

The symptoms of salmonella can include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should contact his or her doctor.

If you have questions about the recalled products you may contact ConAgra's hotline at 866-484-8671. If you have food safety questions you can call the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Consumer Protection Division at 303-692-3644.
 
Despite tainted food-related recall, pot pies stayed on some Davis County store shelves
By Lisa Rosetta
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 10/25/2007 10:16:45 AM MDT


More than a week after ConAgra Foods Inc. recalled its frozen pot pies because of their link to a nationwide salmonellosis outbreak, some Davis County grocery stores had yet to remove the products from their shelves Friday.
Lewis Garrett, director of the Davis County Health Department, said of the 29 grocery stores visited last week, seven still had the recalled pot pies in their freezers.
"In this particular case there had been some oversight and some of those products were still on the shelf," he said. "We were a little dismayed to see that."
The seven stores included Winegar's Supermarket in Bountiful and Clearfield, Dick's Market in Bountiful and Centerville, Albertsons in Centerville, Dan's Foods in Layton and Bowman's Market in Kaysville.
Garrett pointed out, however, that those sickened with salmonellosis did not necessarily buy their frozen pot pies from these stores.
The nationwide recall of the pot pies began Oct. 11, when an outbreak of salmonellosis cases were linked to ConAgra products. So far, the frozen pot pies have been implicated in three cases of salmonellosis in Davis County. Garrett said they likely represent only a fraction of the actual number of cases.
"When we see cases that do go through that whole process [a doctor's visit and a lab test confirming salmonella] they're more like sentinel cases to let us know disease is spreading," he said.
The ongoing outbreak has sickened 238 people in 34 states, including Utah, where as of Friday 12 cases had been reported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While at least 50 people have been hospitalized nationwide, no deaths have been reported.
Richard Clark, regulatory services director for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, said his department performs "recall effectiveness checks" to make sure recalled products are removed from stores.
A recent check for the frozen pot pies at random grocery stores did not reveal any were stocked, Clark said. However, there are 5,000 stores in the state and "we have a staff of 10. We don't get them all, but we do as many as we can in a period of time."
Clark said the pot pie recall is voluntary and that stores are not required to remove them.
"But these stores understand when they're asked to do it they need to do it because there is a very strong reason for it," he said.
Adam Johnson, Albertsons director of food safety, said the stores remove foods almost immediately after being notified of a recall. While the Utah store removed the chicken and turkey pot pies, it was not aware the beef pot pies were also included in the recall. However, Johnson said it's unlikely customers were able to leave the store with the beef pot pies because once a food is recalled its UPC code is removed from Albersons stores' computers, making it impossible to sell unless the cashier makes an override.
State health departments are collecting and testing pot pie products recovered from patients' homes, according to the CDC. To date, one pot pie yielded salmonella with a genetic fingerprint that matched the outbreak's strain.
 
More ConAgra Banquet Pot Pies Positive for Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-
Posted on October 31, 2007 by Salmonella Lawyer

Source of Article: http://www.marlerblog.com/

Leaving ConAgra no room to deny the obvious, according to the CDC, at least 272 isolates of Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- with an indistinguishable genetic fingerprint have been collected from ill persons in 35 states. To date, three of these patients' pot pies have yielded Salmonella I4,[5],12:i:- isolates with a genetic fingerprint indistinguishable from the outbreak pattern. I guess that is more than a "smoking gun," but a smoking pot pie.



Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12–72 hours after infection. Infection is usually diagnosed by culture of a stool sample. The illness usually lasts 4 – 7 days. Although most people recover without treatment, severe infections may occur. Infants, elderly persons, and people with impaired immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness. In severe infection, Salmonella spreads from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites, and death can occur if the person is not treated promptly with antibiotics.

To date we have been contacted by over 100 people who believe they have become ill as a result of eating ConAgra Banquet Pot Pies. Of those thus far we have been able to confirm nearly 20 as suffering from a Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- infection. Three lawsuits have been filed to date.
 
PORKER said:
BULLROAR ,ConAgra said it believes the issue is likely linked to consumers undercooking the not-ready-to-eat frozen products in question.

An older lady we rent pasture from is pretty vertain she was ill from this. She was sick for a week. She cooks the heck outta things, so.....

PPRM
 
ConAgra denied tax breakn Support for a peanut butter plant wanes when ConAgra asks for a reduction in property taxes

SUSAN MCCORD [email protected]

SYLVESTER — The Peter Pan plant that sat idle for six months after a global recall was refused a property tax break by Worth County officials, whose legal counsel called the deal ConAgra requested a "straight fraudulent sham."
Worth County Attorney Clarence Miller offered his opinion Wednesday that the complex bond-financed sale-leaseback deal between ConAgra and Worth County's Economic Development Authority not only infringed on "the taxing powers of the county" but was "bordering on fraud and almost criminality" to Worth's Board of Commissioners.

Worth EDA Director Alex McCoy said the proposal was desired to reward a long-time "good corporate citizen" that had employed many Sylvester residents for decades, and that he didn't believe it bordered on fraud.

"If it does, then just about every development authority and county commission in the State of Georgia is liable to go to jail," said McCoy, who was not at the meeting. "This is a standard document and standard practice."

The arrangement would provide for a gradual reduction of ConAgra's tax bill by 10 percent a year until it reached zero. Worth's inducement to agree to the deal the 26-page proposal calls a "community jobs goal" is up to 30 full-time jobs created through a plant expansion project whose cost is "estimated not to exceed $28 million."

The deal involves the issue of bonds by Worth's EDA and ConAgra's transfer of ownership of its Sylvester facility to the EDA, according to the proposal. At the end of 10 years, the tax abatement ceases and the EDA transfers title of the property back to ConAgra, which is solely liable for repayment of the "cashless" bonds, it said.

The commission refused in a 3-2 vote earlier this year to allow the EDA to issue revenue bonds for a proposed industrial park and has since instructed the EDA it would be refused funding unless McCoy was fired, according to previous reports. McCoy remained at his position Friday.

Officials at the Atlanta law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP, which authored both bond issue proposals, could not be reached for comment.

"I'll never sign off on a fraudulent document," Worth County Commissioner Bettye Bozeman said after Miller presented his opinion.

"It's approaching RICO; if you're familiar with the federal racketeer-influenced (and Corrupt Organizations Act), this borders on that," Miller continued.

Commissioner Tony Hall, who with Commission Chairman Dan Miller voted in favor of the EDA's earlier industrial park proposal and against the county's threat to withhold EDA funds, made a motion to meet with EDA and ConAgra officials to talk about it.

"If we come together in one room, we can address those things," Hall said. "What are we accomplishing right now?"

"For one thing, you're not adopting this illegal agreement," Clarence Miller said.

Hall's motion died for lack of a second.

"There's no action taken on this thing because our attorney has given his opinion that we throw it out," Bozeman said.

"I go along with that," said Commissioner Jerry Childree.

Miller was replaced as EDA counsel last spring by Tifton attorney Bob Reinhardt, who could not be reached for comment.

ConAgra Vice President of Manufacturing Bob Charleston, who has been working with the Sylvester plant on its restart since the recall, said he'd flown in from Chicago after hearing about the called meeting two days earlier.

Asked to comment, Charleston said only that ConAgra was "involved in economic development all over the world."

Sylvester Plant Manager Earl Ehret said, "We're representing the plant on a local level."

The plant, which employs about 100 people in the production of every jar of the company's Peter Pan peanut butter, is among Worth's top three taxpayers, paying nearly $200,000 in property taxes this year on its buildings and equipment, according to county tax records. Peanut butter made and shipped out of the plant is subject to freeport exemptions and is not taxed.

The company also is one the largest employers in Worth. The county of about 22,000 sends 39 percent of its workforce west, to employers in Dougherty County; 38 percent work in Worth; and 11 percent work in Tift County, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
 
So it isn't enough that regular residents help pay for the roads and infrastructure for these corporations, the corporations want them to pay EVERYTHING. Groups of investors (corporations) should not be taxed any les than anyone else.

Talk about corporatism. This is it.
 
Asked to comment, Charleston said only that ConAgra was "involved in economic development all over the world."

My *** , INVESTORS RETURNS AND HIS BOARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

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