18 replies to this topic

[Simon]

A former peanut company executive has been jailed for 28 years in the US for his role in a national salmonella outbreak linked to nine deaths. Stewart Parnell, 61, the ex-owner of the Peanut Corporation of America, was convicted last year of knowingly shipping tainted products. His brother Michael, who worked as a food broker, was given 20 years. The outbreak made hundreds ill and prompted one of the largest food recalls in US history. The brothers were charged after investigators traced the outbreak to the company's plant in Blakely, Georgia in 2009.  A former quality control manager at the plant, Mary Wilkerson, was also sentenced to five years in prison.

 

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Is this a game changer?

[brianweber]

I think it is a game changer in a good way. A lot of us have had struggles with the upper echelon at our companies. Not wanting to spend that extra money, overlooking what they consider "minor" GMP infractions etc... I encourage everyone to talk to their upper management folks about this. Make them aware that they are just as responsible as the quality managers, supervisors right down to the hourly folks.

[ladytygrr]

Nicely stated, Brian. I agree. The fact that Parnell knowingly shipped tainted product and did so because he wasn't willing to clean up their act or be honest with their customers terrible. He may not have acted with "malice aforethought" - intent to harm anyone - but he let his greed do his decision making which is nearly as unforgivable. 

 

This is a story that will be discussed over here at my place, to be sure.

[brianweber]

Our Monthly HACCP meeting is today. Can you guess what we are going to be talking about?

[Simon]

This incident has devastated countless families. First and foremost the victims, their friends and families, the innocent workers at PCA, and also the friends and families of those imprisoned.  There could be no more profound case study of profit over safety. As bad as it is I believe it will kick-start and accelerate positive change in the food industry.  A door has been opened for many food safety and quality managers.

[brianweber]

I agree wholeheartedly Simon. It is just sad that it takes something as severe as this in order for us food safety and quality managers to have something to "use" to get cooperation from other managers.

[ladytygrr]

Hear, hear, Brian!

[brianweber]

Well We just finished up our monthly HACCP meeting with our HACCP team. I could not be happier. A horrible situation that is leading to good results. Our owner was just blown away that someone is going to prison for 28 years over a food safety issue. He is certainly taking a different outlook now. We talked after the meeting and he actually apologized for not showing the support he should have been and said that it is going to change as of today, and I actually believe him this time! Putting what they did at PCA into terms of what we do and how situations are handled really hit home with our HACCP team. Again, horrible situation for all involved, but it is benefiting the Quality industry.

[mgourley]

As it should.

This whole situation should serve to focus people on what we should be doing as food safety and quality professionals.

Memo to senior management....or maybe just plant management...you pay me to do a job. You may not always like what I have to say, but one of the unspoken and unwritten rules in my job description is to keep you out of jail. Yes, we always have a good laugh about that when you dismiss my objections to conditions or practices.

Perhaps now it might hit home.

 

Before anyone gets the wrong idea.. I do not work for a PCA clone. But we all know that not every company snaps to attention and fixes stuff that needs to be fixed right away.

As stated earlier, one hopes this is indeed a game changer.

 

Marshall

[Simon]

I believe the Quality Manager also got a five year sentence.  I haven't read exactly what for...anyone know for sure?  I can imagine for being complicit by possibly falsifying records and not reporting results and things like that.  I'm guessing.  Another lesson for quality managers, never falsify or cover up not matter what pressure you are under.

 

Regards,

Simon

[Rajengovender]

Hi,

This is a "Game Changer". With Food Safety issues, practice "ZERO" Tolerance , "100 %" Compliance. We , as QA or Food Safety Leaders, need to be able to push back & not fall in the trap of "actioning" incorrectly - for want of a better term- knowingly what we know is a  potential risk, to please the "BOSS" .

[ladytygrr]

Well We just finished up our monthly HACCP meeting with our HACCP team. I could not be happier. A horrible situation that is leading to good results. Our owner was just blown away that someone is going to prison for 28 years over a food safety issue. He is certainly taking a different outlook now. We talked after the meeting and he actually apologized for not showing the support he should have been and said that it is going to change as of today, and I actually believe him this time! Putting what they did at PCA into terms of what we do and how situations are handled really hit home with our HACCP team. Again, horrible situation for all involved, but it is benefiting the Quality industry.

 

Brian - this is an awesome turn of events for you! It's sad it took such a tragic situation to spur the change but that was the whole point of the steep sentence (not steep enough in my opinion but, at Parnell's age, 28 years is pretty much a life sentence - he should have pulled a Bernie Madoff-esque sentence), to wake other members of the food industry up to the fact that it is NOT okay to behave in this fashion and that YES, keeping your products safe is an absolute necessity. 

 

I look forward to "hearing" a new tone in your comments, one that reflects that the owner of the company is following his actions with words.

 

I think this answers Simon's original question: YES! this has been a game changer. 

 

~Emily~

[brianweber]

Simon, she was charged with obstruction.

Emily, i will remind him whenever he gets lax that 28 years is a long time. I believe that he is legit this time. I think in his own way this gives him a reason to say he is following through now.

Agreed, he should have gotten a stiffer sentence. What bugged me was the judge made a statement that this wasn't a murder trial. 9 people died because of his actions. While not a murder trial, that should have been taken into account.

[Simon]

What does "obstruction" mean Brian...to the investigation?

 

By the way it's great that it is making a difference in your organization, I'm sure you won't be the only one.

 

Strike while the iron is hot!

 

Regards,
Simon

[ladytygrr]

Brian,

 

Absolutely the deaths and sicknesses should have been taken into account ---- that's the whole point, right?!? If that wasn't an issue, the dude wouldn't have been arrested to begin with. How could you NOT take that into account when deciding on the sentence?

 

I read he's trying to stay out of jail during the appeals process which would mean he does virtually no jail time since the appeals process usually takes quite a while. I will be extremely disappointed in our "justice" system if that happens.

 

~Emily~

[Plastic Ducky]

I think it is great. This makes my old "scarred straight" reference toward Jensen Farms look like a slap on the wrist with a wet noodle.

[brianweber]

Simon, Obstruction is when you lie to the investigators. If they ask me my name and i tell them it is Simon, that is grounds for an obstruction charge. In her case she lied about testing that was not being done and saying it was. 

Emily, the judge rejected their request to be freed during the appeals process citing that they are a flight risk. Not to say his attorneys won't try again, but I doubt a judge grants their request.

[Simon]

Thanks for the clarification Brian.

 

The QM must have been in a difficult position, but the judge must have seen enough obstruction to be wilful and complicit rather than coerced be senior management.  In a way her motivation and plight interests me the most as it is not as easy to see why she wouldn’t come clean at a certain point in the investigation.  Unless of course she was central to the conspiracy.

 

Regards,

Simon

[brianweber]

I know there were 2 other managers that cooperated with the investigation and were not charged. I would think that she would have been the first one they went to asking for cooperation seeings how it is basically her area of control that had failed/was neglected. I can't wait until the court transcripts are released to read them and get some real clarification on what exactly she obstructed.