Cannery supervisors will benefit by employing people to work at the
cannery who can provide or learn such skills as:
_Bookkeeping/accounting_--to keep records of input and outflow of goods
and money; to pay bills.
_Management_--to oversee the flow of food through the center in an
efficient manner for smooth operation of the plant.
_Maintenance and repair_--to maintain equipment and housing in
operational condition.
_Purchasing/supply_--to ensure a supply of materials such as jars and
lids.
_Sales_--to manage sales of surplus retail products if these are
processed at the plant.
_Public relations_--to advertise and promote knowledge of canning
centers; to handle complaints and problems of patrons.
_Technical_--to provide detailed information on processing techniques,
food, nutrition, and gardening.
A form of recordkeeping on all foods processed at the plant is
essential. This kind of information would include such data as name of
person doing the processing, the date, specific food, number of jars,
method of processing, time in and time out, and an identification number
for foods processed for sale by the cannery.
Canning centers may be incorporated as independent nonprofit
cooperatives with a board of directors as the policymaking body. By
being organized in conformity with the traditional farmers' cooperative
structure, the centers receive special tax considerations. Incorporation
on a nonprofit basis is a requirement of many funding sources. The
cooperative structure also lends itself to a tighter knit organization,
with members feeling they are part of the organization, responsible for
its affairs, and willing to pitch in and help if there is some work that
needs a few extra hands.
The community cannery should have general liability insurance to cover
injuries sustained by the workers or persons using the canning center.
Products liability insurance is unnecessary for the cannery operated
solely to provide a service to the community. For the cannery that sells
commercially, products liability insurance should be obtained.
[Illustration: Sealer in a community cannery.]