A sticky situation

In one of my favorite classes, Public Relations Methods, with Dr. Larae Donnellan, every class we would start the lecture with a discussion of current news and the Public Relations issues that are involved with them. I'll continue that tradition here on the blog (it was one of my favorite blogs).

Today, as I was reading associated press stories (a daily habit), i read an update about the case of the Salmonella found in the peanut butter. I'm sure most of you are familiar with this case, but just in case i'll bring you up to speed. A peanut butter plant in Georgia had substandard facilities with roaches crawling around, among other things.

Anyway, in the U.S. there have been eight deaths and one of the largest recalls by the FDA in national history. Now, as more facts come out, more issues arise. New info surfaced showing that there was repeated testing by Diebel Labs employees who tested and found the salmonella present in small quantities at the plant but tested again until they found a negative, failing to instruct the plant to throw all the peanut butter out. Now, as this unfolds, i'd like to give a idea on what i think the government and the factory should do to restore public confidence and fix this mess.

First, the plant needs to be closed. After eight deaths and such poor conditions, the plant must be closed. That's the first step. Second, there needs to be tighter government regulation, because a failure of this stature is absolutely unexceptable. I mean, just a short time ago, we were balking a China for having lead in toys and tainted infant formula, and now, on our soil, this?

Now, i beleive that an announcement of new, tighter regulation by the federal government and closure oif the plant are the only way we can get out of this mess? A future PR practioners, what do you think will and should be done?