In fall, 2012, 41 people in 20 states contracted Salmonella from natural and organic peanut butter, primarily through purchases at Trader Joe’s.
By Nov. 2012, Sunland was eager to reopen, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had other ideas, and filed a permanent injunction against Sunland.

But today, the eastern New Mexico peanut butter plant shuttered eight months ago after a salmonella outbreak is back in production, and company officials say their barf-inducing coveted natural and organic butters could be back on store shelves within a month.

Sunland Inc. Vice President Katalin Coburn says the company last week got the go-ahead from the Food and Drug Administration to restart peanut butter operations at its factory in Portales. It is currently in a test phase of production, she said.

The company processes Valencia peanuts, a sweet variety of peanut that is unique to the region and preferred for natural butters because it is flavorful without additives. It makes peanut butter under a number of different labels for retailers like Costco, Kroger and Trader Joe’s. It also makes nut butter products under its own name.

“They were saying, ‘We want Valencia. We want you guys. We want organic. So hurry up.’

Replace Valencia and organic with Salmonella. More entertaining, and possibly accurate.