Show CAN THE PEA CORN PEA CORN CANNERIES BE KEPT OPEN IN SANPETE MOVE l ON TO BUY EPHRAIM AND MANTI l PLANTS FROM HUNTS HUNT'S for possible work G Ground r o 0 u n d Ephraim a and n d purchase of the Hunt from 1 Manti Diann ant i Canneries laid at an nn important important im important im- im Foo Foods s inc was meeting held in Ephraim Ephraim Ephraim Eph- Eph raim Tuesday night It was at attended attended attended at- at tended tended by some 22 representatives present ta- ta civic clubs and tives of banks of the two com corn pea growers objective is to tonet The immediate get net an assurance from farmers will raise that they in the area and corn for the two plants peas and then to raise some 40 of DC capital to help with the pur pur- chase Immediate result was the appointment appointment appointment ap ap- ap- ap of two committees one to work in Ephraim and north and the other to work in Manti and south to encourage farmers to pledge continued support of the canneries year after year and also to take stock in the plants by furnishing part of the needed capital Appointed to the Ephraim committee committee committee com com- were A. A W. W Thomson chairman Lawrence Hermansen Luterry Larsen and Dr W. W E. E Thorpe all of Ephraim On the Manti committee are Grant Dyreng Dyreng Dyreng Dy- Dy reng chairman and Ernest Scow of Manti and Reed Chris Chris- of Mayfield Gimlin Interested Last spring when word went out from Hunt Foods to stop contacting farmers about pea and corn contracts for this year Mr J. J F F. Gimlin former manager manag manag- er of the Rocky Mountain Packing Packing Packing Pack Pack- ing Corporation and now manag manager manager mana mana- g ger r of the V Canning Co became interested in acquiring acquiring acquiring ing the Ephraim and Manti ManU plants The season was far ad advanced advanced advanced ad- ad however and he was unable to get the needed capital capital capital cap cap- ital to m make a k e the necessary transactions and get the plants in operation this year He was and is ready to furnish t tow toward o w a r I d the purchase price of or the plants which it is reported has been set at around or and that Hunt Foods is ready to sell The hankers cankers and other businesS business business busi busi- ness p people e o 0 p pie l e at the meeting Tuesday night indicated they will be glad to assist with furnishing fur- fur capital for the purchase Continued on page 2 Move On To Buy Ephraim and Manti Plants from Hunts Hunt's Continued from Page One if the farmers will pledge to grow the needed crops year af after after after af- af ter year and will show v their sincerity sincerity sincerity sin sin- by subscribing at least part of the needed capital Plants have Meant l Much 1 To Area The two canneries have been beena a very important part of the economy of Manti InnO and Ephraim I and of other communities in Sanpete and adjoining counties for years The fact that they are not operating this year is being felt by would-be would employees employ employ- ees and by business in the two communities communities- It will be felt more by the farmers when need for a n cash crop income becomes more apparent and also next winter and mul spring when there will be no silage to feed to livestock The Ephraim plant was com con completed in 1914 and commenced operations that year yen I under the name of Ephraim Sanitary Canning Canning Canning Can Can- ning Company and was the first cannery in this part of the state So successful was the company that a second plant was built at Manti 1 Then came lean lenn years and finally the two plants became part of the Rocky Mountain Mountain Mountain Moun Moun- tain Packing Corporation and then were sold to Hunt Foods Inc Ian 1 Many Employed During D u r ri I n g early years of the plants the number of persons employed was very high but has decreased in recent years due clue to installation of more and more labor saving machinery But even in recent years employment employment employment em em- at nt the two plants has averaged 80 men and 80 women during the canning season with some 6 G to 8 persons being employed employed employed em em- on a year round basis Last year yen I approximately was paid in wages and sal sal- aries In n a addition d d i t i ion o n 14 local trucks and 10 local tractors were hired by the company to do various arious jobs In planting growing growing grow- grow ing ng and harvesting the peas pens and corn COln This does not include by individual growers The plants consumed around tons of coal mostly from local ocal mines and each plant paid approximately 2500 for water and electric power to each ench Manti 1 and md Ephraim last year Farmers were paid about 63 for peas pens and about the same for corn Lions Sponsoring Project The project to purchase the plants largely with local capital capita f has been spurred on by the Eph Eph- I raim Lions club They appointed appoint appoint- ed a n committee to look into the matter and it was that committee commit commit- tee which called caned the meeting of Tuesday night A. A W W. Thomson chairman of oC the Lions committee commit tee had charge of the meeting lIe He also has hns been a grower of peas pens through the years and recalls re recalls recalls re- re calls but one crop failure in all nIl that time In commenting on the project Mr Thomson points out that civic clubs and other groups are constantly looking for new industries to furnish industrial employment for the people of r this area aren In Iii these canning plants he points out we already al already nl- nl ready have an important industry industry industry indus indus- try one which has hns added much to the economy and welfare of the people of Sanpete and ad adjoining adjoining adjoining ad- ad joining counties Should we not then h i e asks unite in an effort to save this important canning Industry for ourselves and for our children children children child child- ren after us If it is to be saved saved sav sav- ed cd and made profitable then there must be assurance that there will not be an nn annual wrangle as ns to whether or not enough peas pens and corn will be planted to insure a profitable pack each year One way to achieve that goal will be forthe for forthe forthe the farmers to subscribe to lo to part of the stock in the new set up and thereby take an nn active part not only by growing the crops but also in the management of the plants If the farmers will do this then there is no doubt in my mind that business men and others will gladly come forth with the additional capital capi capi- capital tal to purchase and operate the plants Plenty of oC Market 1 Asked if there will not be difficulty in marketing the products products products pro pro- ducts of the two canneries in competition with larger firms Mr 11 Thomson replied that Mr 11 Gimlin is well acquainted with the market situation and has said that he is certain the high quality of oC the products of this area and these canneries will always insure a ready and profitable profitable pro pro- sale The thing that is needed now Mr r. Thomson points out is genuine genuine genuine gen gen- and wholehearted cooperation cooperation cooper cooper- in acquiring and operating the plants th the kind of cooperation cooperation coop coop- that built them in the first place and operated them so profitable for so many years Mr 11 Thomson also stresses the value of oC peas as a n rotation crop and one which is so suited to this area aren where ample Irrigation irrIgation irrigation tion water is available only in inthe inthe inthe the early growing glowing season of most years He also states that thai the tremendous feed value from the silenge should never be overlooked by the farmers anc and livestock growers |