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Old 02-17-2018, 08:26 AM
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Default Spitz Plant in Bow Island to be Closed

Well this is a real kick in the pants! Pepsico bought out Spitz in 2008, and now they are shutting the original plant in Bow Island down, laying off 53 people in a small town. Brutal. Because they want to move production to the USA, maybe because it is cheaper with corporate taxes? Sad day, my favorite brand since forever. My families home quarter is in Purple Springs, just down the road, and I was always proud Spitz was 'local'....damn.

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/c...erta-1.4540237
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Old 02-17-2018, 08:34 AM
New Hunter Okotoks New Hunter Okotoks is offline
 
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Oh, no. That is definitely going to hurt. Bow Island is very small and will certainly feel the affect of that closing for sure. It always sucks hearing about places closing down and people losing their jobs.
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Old 02-17-2018, 08:35 AM
graybeard graybeard is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck View Post
Well this is a real kick in the pants! Pepsico bought out Spitz in 2008, and now they are shutting the original plant in Bow Island down, laying off 53 people in a small town. Brutal. Because they want to move production to the USA, maybe because it is cheaper with corporate taxes? Sad day, my favorite brand since forever. My families home quarter is in Purple Springs, just down the road, and I was always proud Spitz was 'local'....damn.

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/c...erta-1.4540237

Yuppers a sad day when any industry moves from Alberta.

IMHO; Spitz is a staple on any of my outdoor activities.

It was Spitz or nothing.

I am wondering if I can buy them and freeze them for future outings and they still have the crack/freshness to them?
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Old 02-17-2018, 08:35 AM
Newview01 Newview01 is offline
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The workers should start their own factory. There will be a lot of farmers missing out on their sunflower contracts as well..
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Old 02-17-2018, 08:40 AM
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Dang did not know Pepsi owned Spitz. I like the seasoned ones.

Are they going to come from the US now ?
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Old 02-17-2018, 08:56 AM
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Pepsi screwed Quaker Oats too. Hopefully the good people at Bow Island will start up a new brand although I'm sure Pepsico wrote a no-compete clause into the closure. Trump's politics Vs Turdo/ Notley's,? no Brainer.
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Old 02-17-2018, 08:59 AM
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The workers should start their own factory. There will be a lot of farmers missing out on their sunflower contracts as well..
Not Alberta farmers.

According to the St. Mary’s Irrigation District’s 2016 Annual report, only 820 acres in the district was set aside for sunflower planting.

http://medicinehatnews.com/news/loca...lant-to-close/
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Old 02-17-2018, 09:13 AM
Newview01 Newview01 is offline
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Originally Posted by pikergolf View Post
Not Alberta farmers.

According to the St. Mary’s Irrigation District’s 2016 Annual report, only 820 acres in the district was set aside for sunflower planting.

http://medicinehatnews.com/news/loca...lant-to-close/
Interesting. I know personally of 2 quarters that were set aside.
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Old 02-17-2018, 10:25 AM
yoteblaster yoteblaster is offline
 
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Saw at least a dozen quarters of sunflowers when we were hunting antelope this fall around Bow Island. Those numbers don’t seem right. Some of the sunflowers are grown on dry land as well. We used to grow for Spitz back when Tom owned it. Sure was an easy crop to shovel when the bins got low
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Old 02-17-2018, 10:26 AM
Piker Piker is offline
 
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Default Sunflowers

I think some are in the Bow Island district outside the bow river irrigation district.
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Old 02-17-2018, 11:12 AM
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Mom would buy 50lb burlap bags from them. back in he early 90`s
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Old 02-17-2018, 12:01 PM
Hunter Trav Hunter Trav is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yoteblaster View Post
Saw at least a dozen quarters of sunflowers when we were hunting antelope this fall around Bow Island. Those numbers don’t seem right. Some of the sunflowers are grown on dry land as well. We used to grow for Spitz back when Tom owned it. Sure was an easy crop to shovel when the bins got low
Not all sunflowers go to the edible market, lots go into the oilseed markets as well.
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Old 02-17-2018, 01:24 PM
yoteblaster yoteblaster is offline
 
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Yes I know that. Confectionary or bird seed market. Anything that didn’t make confectionary automatically went for bird seed at a much lower price
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Old 02-17-2018, 02:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by threeforthree View Post
Mom would buy 50lb burlap bags from them. back in he early 90`s
Wish I had that option.

Between fishing at the river twice a week for Dino's and ball season I go through 2-4 big bags every week.

And only Spitz brand will do, Dill Pickle and Cracked Pepper
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Old 02-17-2018, 03:22 PM
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Originally Posted by does it ALL outdoors View Post
Wish I had that option.

Between fishing at the river twice a week for Dino's and ball season I go through 2-4 big bags every week.

And only Spitz brand will do, Dill Pickle and Cracked Pepper
Try Rons jumbo spits from the dollar store green bag,amazing.
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Old 02-17-2018, 04:37 PM
Sloughsharkjigger Sloughsharkjigger is offline
 
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Takes alot of natural gas to dry those seeds...
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Old 02-17-2018, 05:14 PM
grouse_hunter grouse_hunter is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sloughsharkjigger View Post
Takes alot of natural gas to dry those seeds...
Takes a lot of MSG to make them so addictive too.
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Old 02-18-2018, 08:08 AM
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Filthy habit that deserves to be stamped out.

Grizz
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Old 02-18-2018, 08:14 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grouse_hunter View Post
Takes a lot of MSG to make them so addictive too.
They are the crack cocaine of the salty snacks.
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Old 02-18-2018, 08:56 AM
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[QUOTE=pikergolf;3734030]Not Alberta farmers.

According to the St. Mary’s Irrigation District’s 2016 Annual report, only 820 acres in the district was set aside for sunflower planting.

http://medicinehatnews.com/news/loca...lant-to-close/[/QUOTE

There is a huge amount of sunflowers grown north
Of bowisland in eastern irrigation district
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  #21  
Old 02-18-2018, 09:11 AM
corky51 corky51 is offline
 
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Another Canadian entity gets dumped by new USA owners. I hope farmers can start their own newer version.
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Old 02-18-2018, 09:34 AM
2 Tollers 2 Tollers is offline
 
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Originally Posted by corky51 View Post
Another Canadian entity gets dumped by new USA owners. I hope farmers can start their own newer version.
Profitable plants in Canada just do not get dumped to move to the states. Especially with the way the dollar is. We would need to know more on what is behind this - energy costs for production and transportation, changing regulation , labour costs and potential unionization
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Old 02-18-2018, 10:21 PM
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very few of the sunflower seeds were grown locally. many farmers tried but for several reasons, quality seeds just will not grow in that area. I believe most were shipped in from Manitoba. I grew up 8 miles from the plant and Tom Droog was a great person for that community. My cousin has worked at that plant since 2002 and I hope he is able to find something nearby so he doesn't have to uproot his family.
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Old 02-18-2018, 11:58 PM
Bigrib Bigrib is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sloughsharkjigger View Post
Takes alot of natural gas to dry those seeds...
Dunno when they harvest sunflower seeds , usually quite sunny in September , enough for a solar dryer maybe ? Less production for sure but maybe enough to keep it running for Canadian markets only .
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