Future of Sunland Inc. concern of lawmakers

State and federal legislators are concerned further delays in reopening the Sunland peanut plant will only deepen the economic impact on the community and possibly threaten the future of the company.

Lawmakers stressed how vital Sunland is to the local economy in regards to the company's employees as well as local peanut producers.

"First of all, we want the consumer to be safe, that's the reason the FDA is in business," Congressman Steve Pearce, R-N.M., said. "We're hopeful that the problems are cured and everyone goes back to work. That's what we as Congress would like to see, we want to make people safe and get them back operating."

The Food and Drug Administration suspended Sunland's food processing plant registration two weeks ago because of repeated safety violations.

The announcement came just hours after Sunland announced plans to start shelling peanuts with hopes of starting peanut butter production at the start of 2013.

Plant officials said they had notified the FDA the week before of their plans to reopen the processing operations while waiting for approval to resume making peanut butter.

Pearce added that Sunland followed procedure by cleaning up their plant and they have shown what's needed to be done.

He said the FDA seemed more concerned with having the power to shut the plant down than keeping the consumer safe, based on remarks he said he read from an FDA official.

Pearce said he plans to keep a watchful eye on the situation and will speak with the FDA about the comment after Sunland is back operating.

"It should be about keeping the consumer safe, (and that comment) was a little bit upside down."

Sunland has been linked to a salmonella outbreak in September that sickened 41 people in 20 states, which resulted in a voluntary recall of hundreds of its products and the two-month closing of its production plant.

Now the company awaits additional information regarding the action they need to take to begin shelling millions of pounds of harvested peanuts. The halt has caused the layoffs of 28 of their 96 employees until shellings begin, according to Katalin Coburn, Sunland vice president.

State Rep. Bob Wooley, R-Roswell, said there is a dire need to save the company.

"We've got enough unemployment with the economy, we need to save this plant and save these jobs," Wooley said. "It's a huge part of production in that area (Roosevelt County)."

Wooley has plans to meet with other legislators to see what they can do as a delegation to help Sunland.

"I would hope they get the same amount of publicity trying to make it right," Wooley said, adding that all the negative publicity has tarnished the company's good reputation. "We'll have to stick together on this and fight together on this."

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., fears the impact the company's closure will have.

"I am very concerned about the impact the months of closure the Sunland plant has had and may continue to have on the people and economy of Portales and the surrounding area," Udall said. "My staff continues to be in touch with both the FDA and Sunland and I look forward to seeing a corrective action plan completed, and the reopening of the Sunland plant with FDA's assurances that the products coming from Sunland are safe and healthy."

Congressman Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., says the magnitude of the salmonella outbreak was serious but he hopes for the best for Sunland.

"The plant and its owners are dealing with some serious health violations, which caused a salmonella outbreak," Lujan said. "I hope the plant will work with the FDA to address the violations and take corrective action so people can get back to work. There is no doubt that the plant is a big part of the economy on the east side of the state and that its closure is difficult for many families."