Charlotte Observer, "Roaches, rat found in Georgia peanut butter facility; ConAgra plant linked to salmonella lawsuits"

          A Rock Hill attorney found a dead rat, rat traps and roaches when he inspected a peanut butter manufacturing plant linked to salmonella lawsuits, according to court documents. Attorney Randall Hood of Rock Hill and 15 other attorneys were inspecting a ConAgra Foods plant in Sylvester, Ga., in April when they found the dead rat, bird feathers inside the plant, roaches on raw peanuts and other things "consistent with salmonella contamination," according to a court document.
          Hood's document was filed Tuesday in response to a request by ConAgra, the maker of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter recalled in February. ConAgra is asking that all lawsuits to be put on hold until a judicial panel decides if one judge will oversee all the cases or if separate judges will rule on individual cases. Company officials closed the plant Feb. 14, said company spokeswoman Stephanie Chiles.
          As of March 7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified 425 salmonella cases in 44 states, according to the agency's Web site. The Web site said the cases had been linked by the Food and Drug Administration to Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter.