LDS Church clarifies concerns about rumored cannery shutdowns
PROVO — Conspiracy theories and rumors about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Welfare System canneries and home storage centers – including the Lindon cannery – are being shut down by the government have taken over Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere.
Problem is, it’s not quite accurate, even if it makes for a good story.
But it does make for a good story. Blogs and websites, including http://ift.tt/1AxzezC and Oathkeepers.org, have published information about FBI raids on canneries and visits by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. Headlines like “LDS canneries east of the Mississippi will no longer be canning any food at their facilities” have been shared and retweeted. Notions that the FBI or other government agencies are collecting names of patrons and volunteers have also been rumored.
Because of the flow of misinformation or incomplete information, the LDS Church issued the following statement last week:
“Over the past several weeks, misinformation and unnecessary concern has been circulating on blogs, over social media channels and by email regarding changes in operations at the church’s home storage centers, which are located in the U.S. and Canada. No home storage centers are being closed, but the church is making welcomed modifications in its operations at most of these centers that will help to better serve the needs of members of the church, as well as significantly improve efficiency.
“In all but 12 of the church’s 101 home storage centers in the U.S. and Canada, patrons will no longer self-can products, but they may purchase these same items pre-canned or prepackaged at no additional cost. The church currently operates 101 home storage centers in the United States and Canada where food storage items such as beans, dry milk, wheat, rice and sugar may be purchased. These changes have been considered for some time as the church has looked at the best way to provide home storage goods to church members efficiently. Much of the discussion regarding this issue has suggested that this change is due to food safety regulation. While it has been a factor, the concern expressed regarding that issue has been overstated.”
There are good reasons for moving away from self-canning, the church said in its statement. It’s more efficient and cost effective to produce and ship prepackaged goods in bulk rather than ship the same goods and empty cans to a location for people to can on their own. This also means less warehouse space and fewer facilities to maintain, which will save money.
Safety is a factor, according to the church. Pre-canned and prepackaged operations guarantee higher quality and safer preparation of food.
Twelve centers will continue to offer self-canning. They are:
• Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada;
• Mesa, Ariz;
• Carrollton, Texas;
• Lindon;
• Logan;
• Ogden;
• Salt Lake City (Welfare Square);
• Sandy;
• Springville;
• St. George;
• Idaho Falls; and
• Boise.
The remaining 89 centers will provide pre-canned goods. A list of all home storage centers is available at http://ift.tt/1mtOxb0.
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LDS Church clarifies concerns about rumored cannery shutdowns
PROVO — Conspiracy theories and rumors about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Welfare System canneries and home storage centers – including the Lindon cannery – are being shut down by the government have taken over Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere.
Problem is, it’s not quite accurate, even if it makes for a good story.
But it does make for a good story. Blogs and websites, including http://ift.tt/1AxzezC and Oathkeepers.org, have published information about FBI raids on canneries and visits by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. Headlines like “LDS canneries east of the Mississippi will no longer be canning any food at their facilities” have been shared and retweeted. Notions that the FBI or other government agencies are collecting names of patrons and volunteers have also been rumored.
Because of the flow of misinformation or incomplete information, the LDS Church issued the following statement last week:
“Over the past several weeks, misinformation and unnecessary concern has been circulating on blogs, over social media channels and by email regarding changes in operations at the church’s home storage centers, which are located in the U.S. and Canada. No home storage centers are being closed, but the church is making welcomed modifications in its operations at most of these centers that will help to better serve the needs of members of the church, as well as significantly improve efficiency.
“In all but 12 of the church’s 101 home storage centers in the U.S. and Canada, patrons will no longer self-can products, but they may purchase these same items pre-canned or prepackaged at no additional cost. The church currently operates 101 home storage centers in the United States and Canada where food storage items such as beans, dry milk, wheat, rice and sugar may be purchased. These changes have been considered for some time as the church has looked at the best way to provide home storage goods to church members efficiently. Much of the discussion regarding this issue has suggested that this change is due to food safety regulation. While it has been a factor, the concern expressed regarding that issue has been overstated.”
There are good reasons for moving away from self-canning, the church said in its statement. It’s more efficient and cost effective to produce and ship prepackaged goods in bulk rather than ship the same goods and empty cans to a location for people to can on their own. This also means less warehouse space and fewer facilities to maintain, which will save money.
Safety is a factor, according to the church. Pre-canned and prepackaged operations guarantee higher quality and safer preparation of food.
Twelve centers will continue to offer self-canning. They are:
• Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada;
• Mesa, Ariz;
• Carrollton, Texas;
• Lindon;
• Logan;
• Ogden;
• Salt Lake City (Welfare Square);
• Sandy;
• Springville;
• St. George;
• Idaho Falls; and
• Boise.
The remaining 89 centers will provide pre-canned goods. A list of all home storage centers is available at http://ift.tt/1mtOxb0.
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