Show GROWERS AGREE TO TAKE 5 PER TON CUT IN 1950 PEA PRICES IS DONE T TO SAVE NEEDED SA SANPETE TE INDUSTRY Acceptance of a a cut of 5 per ton under the price being paid for shelled peas in northern Utah was vas approved without a dissenting vote at a meeting of Sanpete and Juab pea growers held at Ephraim Wednesday night The decision was made reluctantly for fear it may start an undermining of the State Canning Crops Association but was finally voted as the only apparent means by which operation operation operation oper oper- of the Ephraim cannery could be assured and the growing of commercial peas in this locality made possible But this does not make certain the operation of the cannery unless sufficient acreage is signed up to insure profitable op operation ration of the cannery That pr problem blem is now be being being being be- be ing vigorously attacked from every angle Well VeIl Attended The meeting was well attended by pea growers from all parts of Sanpete county and from Juab Grant Dyreng of Manti president of the Sanpete Canning Canning- Crops As Association Association Association As- As had charge of the meeting meeting meeting meet meet- ing and told the purpose for calling iP if He said an inquiry to the Hunts Hunt's Foods Inc as to what basis ba basis basis ba- ba sis they would operate the Ephraim Ephraim Ephraim Eph Eph- raim Cannery this year had brought from them the offer to operate if to 1000 acres can be signed up for Cor planting peas and the growers will accept 5 per ton less for each grade than is being paid in north- north thern Utah communities Mr Dyreng said he disliked very much to accept a price below the state contract agreed upon between the different canning companies and the State Canning Crops Association Association Association As As- for fear it will be used as a lever to destroy or weaken the association However he cited a case where last year peas were grown in the Malad Idaho area iea and brought to the the- Tremonton plant with the growers receiving 5 per ton less for the peas to offset extra transportation costs Mr Dyreng also pointed out the organization of the Utah growers is a model for the nation and that many other states are patterning their canning crops associations af after after after af- af ter Stake President Explains Situation Reuel E. E Christensen of Ephraim president of the South Sanpete Stake then told of talks that had been held with the Hunts Hunt's Foods people concerning operation of the Ephraim plant and of the trip to Salt Lake City last week of a committee committee committee com com- consisting of Mr Dyreng as Continued on Page 4 Growers Agree T To o oTake Take 5 S 5 Per Ton CutI CutIn Cut CutIn I In n 1950 Pea Prices Continued from page 1 president of the Sanpete Canning Crops Association himself E Ed d Tooth of the Manti ManU City Council Ernest Nielson of the Ephraim City council and Dean Fo Foister ter of the Ephraim Lions club and American Legion They reported to the Hunts Hunt's officials officials of- of that it appears the required acreage has been secured down here and that the farmers and others will cooperate fully in assuring a successful cannery run While actual actual ac actual ac- ac canning costs are as low as or lower than at other plants the cost of delivering shelled peas to the cannery is more than 19 more per ton here than at Tremonton the committee was told Mr D. D J. J Isom Hunts Hunt's Utah manager manager manager man man- ager told the committee the company company company com com- pany feels proper cooperation be between between between be- be tween growers and the company cooperation which works both ways and which will eliminate many wasteful practices can cut down this cost differential by at least half The company is then willing to meet half the remaining 10 differential if the growers will take up the other half by accepting accepting accepting accept accept- ing 5 per ton less for peas than is paid at the Murray and Tremonton Tremonton Tremonton Tre Tre- monton plants Means Loss Mr Christensen presented figures to show this cut would mean some less to the growers than they would receive under the regular state contract for the same amount of peas they produced last year He then gave other figures to show that last years year's short run brought in some paid to cannery employees during the brief canning campaign paid to maintenance workers field men etc paid to growers and about for water electricity and other miscellaneous local items so that the total payroll was about There will be no chan chance e of getting getting getting get get- ting this payroll into the county this year if the farmers refuse to take the 5 per ton cut Mr Christensen said He felt that some way can and should be de devised devised devised de- de to relieve the growers from taking this entire loss Mr Christensen said that personally personally personally per per- he feels this is a measly way to do but after all they're the management We Ve sold out and now if we want to keep the industry industry industry indus indus- try and payroll we will just have hav I to go along with them Mr Christensen Christensen Chris Chris- said He made it clear however that he was in no way taking managements management's part but his sole aim was to achieve the good goodof of this section Mr Christensen said he certainly appreciates the splendid cooperation cooperation cooperation tion which has b been en shown by growers civic groups and others since the move was started to have havethe havethe havethe the announcement of the cannery closing reconsidered Much Discussion There followed a lot of discussion with whir many farmers also the factory factory factory fac fac- fac- fac tory field men and superintendent taking part It was stated that the average yield at Tremonton last I year was tons of shelled peas per acre while in Sanpete and Juab it was tons Peas should be planted on clean productive ground in order that the farmer also may realize a profit as well as the factory factory factory fac fac- tory it was said John K Olsen of Ephraim was asked to comment and spoke briefly briefly briefly brief brief- ly of the struggle to get a cannery and then to keep it going in lean Ican years He said he had sort of soured on pea growing lately especially es especially especially es- es last year Frank Morgan of Nephi said some of the Juab growers had soured but had a better year last year and so were showing enthusiasm a agian aglan Ian He said there had been a alot alot alot lot of leaks in management over there which could be corrected to help bring down vining and other costs He said he dislikes losing face with growers in other districts or to undermine the organization but on the other hand this is marginal marginal marginal mar mar- ginal land down here and crops are limited which it will raise also the canning companies dont don't know what the price of canned peas will be as everything seems on the down grade He pointed out the importance of raising peas in a crop rotation program Speaking of this being marginal margina land Mr Dyreng pointed painted out that thai top land here sells for per acre while in the Tremonton area it sells for 1000 per acre Harold A. A Young of Mt H. Pleasant said the company is often at fault in the efficiency of organization and that more cooperation by the company company company com com- pany at the could cut expenses expenses expenses ex ex- a lot He said at first he felt very much opposed to accepting accepting accepting accept accept- ing the 5 cut but now feels differently dif dif- Wilford Jensen of Ephraim said he doesn't like the 5 5 cut a bit and wonders if it will be possible to get the required acreage Would Like a Look At Cost Sheet r A A. Wells Thomson of Ephraim felt the growers should accept the company's offer but would like some proviso whereby the growers may look at the cost sheet and if ift it t is reduced sufficiently probably receive part or all the 5 cut backis backas back as is a 1 bonus for efficiency if peas are delivered as cheaply here as up north Maybert Strate of Spring City and Ernest Scow of Manti ManU both expressed themselves as not liking the 5 cut Mr Strate also told of difficulty in securing enough acreage for two vipers Change of Mood Leslie L L. Madsen of Ephraim said he lie felt differently than he did at first hearing of the proposed cut If this is a move to break the canning canning canning can can- ning crops association he is very much opposed to it but he does want to see the cannery kept going for the benefit of providing a cash crop helping with crop ro rotation tion and furnishing silage etc Lawrence Hermansen of Ephraim wondered how much the 5 cut I would mean to each grower and i isome some one said it would average I around 25 to tD 40 per grower Rudolph Rudolph Rudolph Ru Ru- dolph Larsen however said on last years year's yield it would mean 60 to him Later he said he lost more than 60 by not cutting at atthe atthe atthe the proper time Mr Hermansen then said that the farmers are going to take less for all crops including grain anc and hay and felt the pea growers should accept this cut Ray J. J Christensen of Moroni however was of an entirely different different different dif dif- ferent opinion and said it had been beena a fight to get a uniform price for peas all over the state and he would stick by the state contract and accept no cut Maybert Strate then spoke of the value of peas in crop rotation Vote Called Mr Dyreng then asked for a standing vote as to ho how v v many fa favored favored favored fa- fa accepting the cut and nearly everyone stood up but there was wasa a lot of uncertainty and so the discussion went on and on A A. A W. W Thomson said he did no not believe accepting the cut would affect af affect affect af- af the state organization or the state contract adversely while for forthe forthe forthe the people down here its it's almost a matter of life and death and we cant can't afford not to go along with the plan Mr Dyreng told of a telephone conversation with J J. J R. R o of Benjamin president of the Utah Canning Crops Association who had said he would regret seeing the he growers here have to accept a lower price but did not feel it would effect the standard state te contract or weaken the tion ion Others spoke of encouraging better better bet bet- ter er farming fanning practices as paying big bigo to o the pea growers Will Vill Laborers Cooperate Others wondered if workers at nt athe atthe the he cannery would not cooperate in n absorbing some of the 5 per ton loss and not let the grower stand it all It was decided this should be left to be taken up by bythe bythe bythe the laborers just as cooperatively as the growers have acted thus far Frank Garbe speaking as a cit citi citizen citizen cit cit- i izen izen and not a company employee reviewed the case The Company docs does not want to raise peas pens in Sanpete Sanpete Sanpete San San- pete this year Some Sanpete cit citizens citizens citizens cit cit- asked for a reconsideration They received it and the company made them an offer Now as citizens is it best to accept or re reject reject reject re- re that offer for the good of Sanpete Finally Mr Dyreng called for a negative vote on the matter of the 5 cut and only 4 stood up Frank Mortan of Nephi then made another speech telling how wheat has skidded from 3 to a bushel hay from 50 and 60 a aton aton aton ton until there is little demand for it now at any price and they told how peas are needed He drew a lot of applause Leslie Madsen then made a motion motion motion mo mo- mo- mo tion that this group go on record as unanimously favoring accepting the 5 cut this year After a lot lotmore lotmore lotmore more discussion this motion was passed without a negative vote As the meeting Dean Folster FoIster rose to say how he appreciated appreciated appreciated the splendid spirit of co cooperation cooperation cooperation co- co operation shown by the different areas Pres Christensen also said he had never seen a finer spirit of cooperation than had been shown in the meeting |