Dear Family Canners: (There is no schedule attached to this email…keep reading to the end.)
…A light at the end of a very looong tunnel? We sure hope so!
We know everyone is anticipating the next opportunity to do family canning and we have some good news! Along with the changes from construction and equipment updates, we are close to completing all of the requirements to become a licensed USDA facility. That means that within the year we should be able to can meat items for Family Canning. Finally, our empty storage shelves will once again be filled with meat!
Keep reading…this is important for you to understand:
Remember the “where much is given, much is required” principle? Here is the required part:
The USDA requires that any USDA meat item (see list below) produced here has to remain on the premises for 10 days of incubation before it can be sold. Therefore, no one will be able to come, process and take home product on the same day--if it is a USDA meat item. There will be specific “Pick-Up Days” for the product you have already worked for. That means two trips for everyone—even those who live far away. NO EXCEPTIONS.
This puts the choice back in your hands. Since we cannot change the USDA requirements, each person will need to decide if making two trips is worth having the product. So the choice is: coming to the Lindon Cannery and abiding by the rules or getting your canned meat items from your local stores.
Keep reading…there is a good side to all of this:
There could be good news within all these new regulations. At least with the USDA products, we will be able to determine what is “extra” (product that isn’t spoken for). Then you would be able to purchase additional cases when you come on “pick-up days” (your second trip to the Cannery). Therefore, those who helped can the product would have first access to it.
Overage from production on items that are not USDA (see list below) would still be offered at an Overage Sale along with any leftover USDA items.
Keep reading…there is more to understand:
Remember, we also have the requirement for non-USDA production. All these products must remain at the Cannery until the following day to allow for final paperwork to be completed. That means that everyone who schedules a shift on the first day of production will need to come back at the end of that item’s production to pick up their order. Hopefully, those who live close to the Cannery will try to schedule the first day of a product to help those who live further away. We still need a full day of production on the first day, so someone has to be here.
So…now it comes down to recognizing the “where much is given” side:
We are very blessed to be able to do Family Canning. This opportunity isn’t available to the majority of the members of the church. The “hassle” comes down to the attitude of recognizing where much has been given. The Church has invested considerable time and expense to upgrade the Cannery’s equipment and USDA status. It blesses the Church to have more facilities to produce welfare items for the church, but it also blesses those who can participate in Family Canning.
Keep reading…the reward for staying with us to the end:
We will be sending out the next Family Canning schedule on Friday, February 5th in the late afternoon. The entire process of becoming UDSA approved is still not completed, so there will be no meat products on the spring schedule. We are planning to have another Family Canning Schedule go out for May/June canning, and then a third one for November/December canning. We are looking more toward the November/December Family canning schedule before everything will be in place to do the meat.
The list below gives you an idea of where the Lindon Cannery products stand in the FDA/USDA guidelines we must follow:
NON USDA – 1 day waiting period
Applesauce
Chicken Noodle Soup
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Diced Tomatoes
Frozen Berries
Jams
Pork & Beans
Potatoes
Salsa
Spaghetti Sauce
Tomato Soup
Vegetable Beef Soup
USDA – 10 day waiting period
Beef Stew
Chicken, Beef, & Pork Chunks
Chili
Cream of Chicken Soup
Ground Beef
No comments:
Post a Comment