An Inventory of Its
Records at the University of Manitoba
Archives & Special Collections
Inventory prepared by
Jeffrey Long
University of
Manitoba Archives & Special
Collections
Winnipeg,
Manitoba
(1994)
Finding aid encoded by
Rita Mogyorosi
(May
2003)
Finding aid written
in
English.
Revision History
- July 26, 2005 - MSS
95, PC 90, TC 64 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
Collection Summary
Repository:
University of
Manitoba Archives & Special
Collections,
Elizabeth Dafoe
Library, Winnipeg, MB R3T
2N2
Creator:
Co-operative
Vegetable Oils
Ltd.
Title:
Co-operative
Vegetable Oils Ltd. fonds
Dates:
1943-1988
Quantity:
84 cm of textual
records and other material
Identification:
MSS 95, PC 90, TC
64
Language
English.
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Administrative History of
Co-operative Vegetable Oils Ltd.
Co-operative Vegetable Oils Ltd. began in Altona, Manitoba in 1943 under the direction of J.J. Siemens. Siemens was an active member in the Mennonite community having been both a school teacher and a farmer. Siemens was also part of the Rhineland Agricultural Society (est. 1931) which was established to develop better agricultural practices--especially through education and experimentation. Equally important was Siemens' belief in the co-operative movement, most notably the development of various Credit Unions.
C.V.O. began in 1943 largely because Second World War Canadian imports of edible vegetable oils (from Russia and Argentina) were noticeably reduced, creating a need for domestic production. To support the domestic industry, the Federal Government offered such incentives as price subsidies, transportation subsidies and facilities for processing the crop in Hamilton, Ontario. Although the 1943 crop was shipped to Hamilton, the high costs of long distance transportation of sunflowers--the principle oilseed crop--proved discouraging. Consequently, with a view to the future when these subsidies would be lifted, C.V.O. decided in favour of a local processing plant. This scheme, half-heartedly endorsed by the Provincial Government, satisfied the needs of the local community, which backed the project enthusiastically. The Altona plant was to cost a projected $60,000, half of which would be raised from private funds, with the remainder coming from guaranteed loans from the Provincial Government. The community eagerly threw its support behind the plant as it offered long-term economic growth and stability. As farming became increasingly mechanised, farm labour diminished leaving little employment for the young thus contributing anxiety to the otherwise closely knit Mennonite family structure. Furthermore, wheat prices had not increased significantly since the Depression, and the family farm was suffering. However, The C.V.O. plant provided jobs for locals and an outlet for the alternative crop, the sunflower; later adding soybeans and canola in the 1950's.
C.V.O.'s list of achievements include: the development of Safflo oil as its first consumer product in 1949; the first oilseed crushing plant in Canada; the first company to process commercially sunflowers in North America; the first North American company to process pure sunflower-based cooking oil; and, a strong role in the development of canola as an "oilseed".
To meet growing needs, C.V.O. officially merged with Manitoba Pool and Saskatchewan Pool April 1, 1975, coming under the new name CSP Foods. CanAmera Foods purchased CSP Foods 20 March 1992.
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Scope and Contents of the
Records
The fonds consists of minute books, annual reports, correspondence, published and unpublished reports and articles, brochures, newspaper clippings, scrap books and photographs.
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Organization of the
Records
These records are organized into twenty series.
- Manuscript Collection
(MSS 95)
- Minute Books,
1943-1975
- Annual Reports,
1951-1983
- Merger, 1949-1982
- Published
Reports/Articles - Economic,
1946-1988
- Published Reports -
Commodity, 1952-1982
- Staff Benefits,
[1960?]-[1971?]
- CSP/C.V.O. Brochures -
Promotional, [1943?]-[1992?]
- Newspapers/Newsclippings,
1950
- Miscellaneous,
[1943?]-[1992?]
- Scrap Books,
1944-1985
- Files, 1977
- Photograph Collection (PC
90)
- Slide shows,
[1970?]-1979
- Photographs - Executive,
1968-1980
- Photographs - Portraits,
1967-1981
- Photographs -
Couples/Duos, 1966
- Photographs -
Groups/Trios, 1948-[196-?]
- Photographs -
Awards/Presentations, 1968-1979
- Photographs - Buildings,
1964
- Photographs -
Promotional, 1948
- Tape
Collection (TC 64),
1979-1980
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Restrictions on
Access
There are no restrictions on this material.
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Restrictions on
Use
Users must abide by relevant copyright legislation.
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Custodial History
The records of the merged companies were donated to the Archives by CanAmera Foods in 1993.
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Detailed Description of the
Records
Minute Books (MSS 95): 1943-1975
|
Co-op Vegetable Oils
Ltd. , 1943-1975
|
BoxFolder
11 Board Minutes, 11 September 1943-10 November 1956
2 Board Minutes, 23 November 1956-14 November 1964
3 Board Minutes, 26 November 1964-18 November 1967
BoxFolder
21 Board Minutes, 18 November 1967-11 December 1971
2 Board Minutes, 16 December 1971-5 May 1975
|
Gardenland
Packers , 1963-1967
|
BoxFolder
23 Board Minutes (no binding), 1963-1967
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Annual Reports (MSS 95): 1951-1983
|
Co-op Vegetable Oils
Ltd. , 1951-1974
|
1 1952 - Balance sheet only (photocopy)
1 1953 - with Balance sheet
3 1969 - 1970 (with annual meeting agenda)
3 1971, 1972, 1973 (with summary), 1974
|
Pool
Elevators , 1975-1983
|
BoxFolder
34 1975, 1976 (with condensed annual meeting agenda), 1978, 1980 (with condensed annual report), 1983
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Merger (MSS 95): 1949-1982
BoxFolder
35 Excerpts from annual reports, annual meetings, 1968-1981
6 Memoranda re: Co-op Vegetable Oils - Manitoba Pool, 1974
7 1974 annual meeting registration: Merger Meeting
8 Voting Lists - annual reports & related correspondence 1968-1974. Includes agenda for 1972 & 1973 annual meetings
9 Correspondence to shareholders re: annual meetings
10 "A Prairie Saga" - C.P. Morin - History of Co-op Vegetable Oils Ltd.
11 "Making it Happen" - unpublished history of CSP by L. Hicock
12 Three histories of the oilseed industry - one by L. Hicock (unpublished, 1982) - includes correspondence with CSP
13 Three letters. One provides a short biography of R.W. Siemens, 1978-1981
BoxFolder
41 Co-op Vegetable Oils Ltd. Report to District representatives, 1951-1952
2 Co-op Vegetable Oils Ltd. News Bulletin, 1952
3 "The Expeller" (Company periodical), 1949-1950
4 News Release - re: Cost reduction plan with attached letter to shareholders, 7 December 1982
5 Unpublished reports on sunflower oil, 1952
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Published Reports/Articles - Economic (MSS 95): 1946-1988
BoxFolder
46 Manitoba Industrial Topics vol. 1, no. 1, May-June, 1946
6 Manitoba Industry and Commerc Bulletin, January, 1954
6 Manitoba Industry and Commerce Bulletin, April, 1958
6 News for Farmer Cooperatives, February, 1954
6 News for Farmer Cooperatives, special A.I.C. report (see p. 31), November, 1962
6 "The Rural Society in Transition," E.J. Nesius, 1966
6 Trade and Commerce Magazine, 1988
6 Cooperative Enterprise, n.d.
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Published Reports - Commodity (MSS 95): 1952-1982
BoxFolder
47 Sunflower Seed Production, 1952, 1957
7 Economic Aspects of Sunflower Production in Manitoba, foreward by Sol Sinclair (see Sol Sinclair Collection), 1960
7 Rapeseed: Canada's "Cinderella" Crop, May 1970
7 Sunflowers - The Canadian Experience, July 1978
7 Canadian Rapeseed Oil, August 1978
7 Harvest: CSP Foods Ltd. vol. 1, no. 1, April 1982
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Staff Benefits (MSS 95): [1960?]-[1971?]
BoxFolder
48 Pension Plan for Co-op Vegetable Oils Ltd. employees, [1971?]
8 Group Insurance Plans for Co-op Vegetable Oils Ltd., employees, [1960?]
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CSP/C.V.O. Brochures - Promotional (MSS 95): [1943?]-[1992?]
BoxFolder
49 Recipe Books
8 books, 1 incomplete
10 Brochures/handbooks explaining the oilseed industry
11 Brochures illustrating Canola meal as fodder
12 Brochures re: Canola, Sunflower oil & C.V.O./CSP Foods
13 Brochures promoting MB, Morden and Altona
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Newspapers/Newsclippings (MSS 95): 1950
BoxFolder
414 Newspaper clippings re: C.V.O./CSP Foods
|
Newspaper articles re: 1950 Flood
|
BoxFolder
415Altona Echo , 3 May, 14 June 1950
15Morris
Herald vol. 71, no. 18, 4 May 1950
15Winnipeg Free
Press , 22 May 1950
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Miscellaneous (MSS 95), [1943?]-[1992?]
BoxFolder
416 Decal for Canola(?) logs, Company Christmas Card, greeting cards and obverse of three envelopes addressed to C.V.O./CSP
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Scrap Books (MSS 95): 1944-1985
BoxFolder
51 Newsclippings (blue scrapbook), 1944-1952
2 Newsclippings (green scrapbook), 1947-1958
3 Newsclippings (blue Centennial scrapbook), 1970-1972
4 Newsclippings, letters, articles, new release, negatives and memorabilia relating to CSP plant expansion, 1977
5 Newsclippings, 1979-1985
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BoxFolder
56 Miscellaneous newsclippings
7 Material regarding Red River Exhibition display
8 Consistent Grain Growers file, 1977
9 "Edible Oil Field" - article
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Slide shows (PC 90): [1970?]-1979
BoxFolder
11 Series 1: "C.V.O. 30 Year History,"
100 slides
BoxFolder
12 Script for "C.V.O. 30 Year History"
3 Series 2: "C.V.O./CSp Tour 1974," 45 slides (includes 22 extra slides numbered as PC 90 Miscellaneous, 1-22)
BoxFolder
14 Script for "C.V.O./CSP Tour," 1974
5 Series 3: "Harvest Come Home," 1979, 48 slides
6 Series 4: "Harvest Come Home" - B version, 1979, 52 slides
7 Series 5: "Tomorrow's Harvest" 65 slides
8 Series 6: "Tomorrow's Harvest" - B version, 64 slides
8 Series 7: Slides of 1970(?) Soybean factory explosion
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Photographs - Executive (PC 90): 1968-1980,
BoxFolder
19 Board members, 1968,
5 photos
10 Board members, 1971, 5 photos
11 Board members, 1974, 5 photos
12 Board members, 1978, 2 photos
13 Board of directors, n.d., 4 photos
14 Board members/annual meetings, n.d., 10 photos
15 Annual meeting, 1980, 6 photos
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Photographs - Portraits (PC 90): 1967-1981,
BoxFolder
116 J.J. Siemens,
3 photos including 1 poster/biography
17 R.W. Siemens, 9 photos
20 E.H. Epp, P. Doll and E.H. Toews, 1 photo each
21 B.H. Friesen, D.K. Friesen and J. Friesen, 7 photos
23 F. Nickel (1967), Dr. E.D. Putt and K. Sarsons (1981), 1 photo each
24 E. Wiebe, 1967, 1972, 3 photos
25 3 unidentified portraits, 1969
26 3 unidentified portraits, 5 photos
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Photographs - Couples/Duos (PC 90): 1966
BoxFolder
127 2 unidentified; R. Siemens and D. Friesen; D. Reimer and M. Zacharias (1966); B. Wiebe and H. Buhler,
5 photos
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Photographs - Groups/Trios (PC 90): 1948-[196-?]
BoxFolder
128 J.J. Siemens, E. Putt and ?, 1948
30 15 Year Club, 1961 and ?, 2 photos
31 Northern Regional Laboratory - Say Cot Convention (early 1960s)
32 International Sunflower Conference - Morden, Manitoba, 1966, 2 photos
33 External Affairs Tour, n.d.
34 Unidentified group shots, 9 photos
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Photographs - Awards/Presentations (PC 90): 1968-1979
BoxFolder
135 Service Award recipients,
3 photos
36 C.V.O. award presentation to R.P. Lemoring, 1968
37 Seed Competition, 1979, 2 photos
38 Mr Manitoba Sunflower, 1979, 4 photos
39 Ceremony with Ed Schreyer, 1977, 8 photos
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Photographs - Buildings (PC 90): 1964
BoxFolder
140 Old Office Building - Exterior,
12 photos
41 Old Office Building - Interior, 10 photos
42 New Office Building - Exterior, 11 photos
43 New Office Building - Interior, 14 photos
BoxFolder
21 Plant exterior, black and white 2.5" x 3.5",
44 photos
2 Plant exterior, 5 x 7, 9 photos
3 Plant exterior, 7.5 x 10, 32 photos
4 Plant exterior, 2.5 x 3.5 and 3.5 x 5 - colour, 53 photos
5 Plant exterior special, 5 photos
6 Plant interior - black and white, 2.5 x 3.5 and 3.5 x 4.5, 24 photos
7 Plant interior, 5 x 7 and 6.5 x 8
8 Plant interior, 8 x 10, 31 photos
9 Plant interior, 2.5 x 3.5 and 3.5 x 4.5 - colour, 115 photos
10 Plant interior - laboratory, colour, 12 photos
11 "Prestalog" fire, 1964, 20 photos
12 Construction, 21 photos
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Photographs - Promotional (PC 90): 1948
BoxFolder
213 Products/Advertising,
29 photos
14 Farmers and farm machinery, 20 photos
17 Sunflowers - black and white, 27 photos
18 Sunflowers - colour, 51 photos
19 Altona and CSP Plant - aerial shots, 48 photos
20 Altona - town shots with parade and family life, 29 photos
21 Product transportation - Rail, 8 photos
22 Product transportation - Truck, 13 photos
23 Grain terminal (Fort William); Processing plant (Chili - 1948); unidentified man in Cesna(?), 1 of each
24 Oilseeds Conference, January 1978, 10 photos
25 Negatives, 36 photographic and 3 slide
25 Film: C.V.O. Presents: "Sunflowers" (held in MSS 95, Box 5), n.d.
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Tape Collection (TC 64): 1979-1980,
BoxFolder
11 CSP Foods audio dub for "Harvest Come Home" (tape 1), 1979
2 CSP Foods audio dub for "Tomorrow's Harvest" (tape 2), 1980
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