Mice chew profit from pecan crop

The Associated Press

CAMILLA, Ga. -- Georgia agriculture officials have ordered $2 million worth of pecans destroyed because they were stored in a facility that was overrun with mice.

"It's a pretty gruesome discovery," said state Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin. "My staff said it's some of the worst they've ever seen, and we've seen some really gruesome ones before."

The 1.5 million pounds of pecans, owned by Southwest Nut Co. of Fabens, Texas, were found during an inspection Friday at Camilla Commodity Services Inc.

Charges are pending, but Irvin would not say what charges would be filed or against whom. The storage facility, which was unlicensed, was ordered closed.

A man who answered the phone Wednesday at Camilla Commodity Service said that managers had left for the day. A call to Southwest Nut Co. was not immediately returned.