A brand new cannery for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been dedicated and is now open in Harrisville, Utah. This new state-of-the-art facility of the Church will aid in the relief of feeding thousands locally and around the globe.
The 45,000-square foot facility is located at 224 W. North Street, just west of the Deseret Industries. It has the capacity to store 15 million cans per year and is projected to meet requirement production for the next 20 years.
1st Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of the LDS Church, Bishop Dean M. Davies, said “Both spiritual and physical feeding will be accomplished by the work here. Along with Davies, Sister Jean B. Bingham, Relief Society General President, also spoke at the dedication of the new cannery.
Officials said the Harrisville Utah Cannery will produce much more, with fewer volunteers, for the Church’s welfare system. This new cannery will be one of six located in the United States.
According to Don Johnson, director of public distribution for the Church, “The Harrisville Cannery will replace the facility in Ogden. This new cannery will continue to provide for the poor and needy and give opportunities for service.”
The new cannery has the ability to clean, cut, sort and distribute into cans, and cook 7,500 pounds of green beans every hour.
The Harrisville Cannery is set to produce green beans, beef stew, beef and turkey chunks, chicken flavored rotini soup, tomato sauce, and tomato soup.
“We’ve had an increase of 80% over our production capacity of the previous Ogden cannery,” Davies said.
The larger volumes will be canned by a fraction of the volunteers previously needed for the work.
Jean B. Bingham said, “Those who serve at the cannery will be acting as the Savior’s hands in extending comfort and security to those he loves.”
Besides canneries, the LDS Church’s welfare program also operates 49 farms and orchards to produce the foods processed at the facilities. Other such plants are: Deseret Dairy, Deseret Bakery, Deseret Soap, Deseret Mill and Pasta.
When you have a hungry belly, you can hardly think of anything else. For those in great need of such circumstances, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is there to help give relief. The canneries serve to support those who are experiencing difficult times as well as those affected by natural disasters, homelessness, or unemployment.
“The 7.5 acres where the new cannery now stands is just as hallowed as that of the temple”, said, Davies.
LDS Church canneries are operated by a limited number of paid employees and church-service missionaries. However, most of the work done is by volunteers fulfilling welfare assignments.
From a statement in regards to food storage on the Church’s website it reads, “Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all it abundance for our benefit and use. His purposes are to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors, and support bishops as they care for others.”
