OK, I don't know how I missed this earlier in the conversation but Bernardin has been producing BPA free lids since 2015.
I verified this on the boxes of lids I picked up this year...there is a red square on the box with "BPA FREE" on it!

Yes, I had notice that, and the Tattler Lids and rings are say that they are BPA free as well

http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/BPA_Free.html

Are TATTLER Reusable Canning Lids Safe?    

In one single word, YES!  TATTLER Reusable Plastic Canning Lids are manufactured using a plastic compound that is safe for direct contact with food products.  We utilize an FDA and USDA approved, food grade product known as Polyoxymethylene Copolymer (POM) or Acetal Copolymer.

The rubber rings (gaskets) are made from a food grade nitrile rubber and contain no latex.

Neither formulation contains any Bisphenol A (BPA) or phthalates!

TATTLER Reusable Plastic Canning Lids are manufactured using a plastic compound that is safe for direct contact with food products.We utilize an FDA and USDA approved, food grade product known as Polyoxymethylene Copolymer (POM) or Acetal Copolymer.

The product we use is compliant with applicable FDA regulations for food contact subject to the limitations listed below. This product is formulated using polyacetal base resin that is compliant for use in food contact applications according to (CFR), Title 21, 177.2470. Any additives, that may be present, comply with appropriate, specific FDA Regulations.

Limitations:
Types of food: All types of food except foods containing 15% or more alcohol.
Conditions of Use: Use temperature not to exceed 250 deg F per 177.2470.
Additionally, this plastic is approved by the USDA for direct contact use with meat and poultry products, as well as meeting the Sanitary Standards 3A Compliance for the Dairy and Food Industries Supply Association (DFISA).

What about Formaldehyde?
Many questions have been asked about the existence of formaldehyde in Acetal Copolymer.  While it is true formaldehyde is present in trace amounts, research proves it is only released at very high temperatures, well above any temperatures found in home food canning.  Here are the facts.

Heating our brand of acetal copolymer above 460 degrees F (238 C) should be avoided.  At these temperatures, formaldehyde, a colorless and irritating gas that can be harmful in high concentrations, is generated.

Helicopilot
When you purchase a pressure canner, they also include a small "how to" booklet to get you started.

OK, I don't know how I missed this earlier in the conversation but Bernardin has been producing BPA free lids since 2015.
I verified this on the boxes of lids I picked up this year...there is a red square on the box with "BPA FREE" on it!

Thats good to know they are BPA free. Thats what we used for our first real batch of pickling... without the local mennonites hanging over our shoulders to make sure we know what we are doing! 🙂

We made hot pickled green tomatoes....(photo attached!) Since the BPA "crisis" is put to bed...quick question on canning...even though we packed the jars tight...it seems we've left about 30% of the space in the jars once the fluid is added...everything floats to the top and we've wasted all that space...is there a way to get around this? When we can some more food later on this year I dont want to have 30% of the space empty...

I get the same issue, but not all the time.
The first year I tried pressure canning I freaked out at how much space there was at the bottom...
From what I was told...it's shrinkage during processing.
Kind of makes sense I guess...lots of food shrinks down when you cook it and the temps in a pressure canner are even higher than that.
But then again I only have a few years experience...maybe one of the more experienced canners like FARMGAL (nudge nudge) could weigh in on this?

Hi, great looking jars, but yup, its about tomato shrinkage in the jar, at least you hot packed which makes it fuller jar then a cold packing would. the amount of shrinkage will change depending on what you are canning.

as well as different size jars, lids and rings. If anyone has insider knowledge of good deals and you don't mind sharing, PM me.

I was just at Superstore in Edmonton and noticed they had the yellow sale stickers on Bernardin Jars, 15 dollars for packs of 12 1 liter jars with lids, they had other sizes as well but I don't remember the prices. So 1.25 each, sounds like a good price too me.

Thanks Peppercorn, we'll see what they have at our Superstore