September 4, 2020

 

Agri groups, pork producers donate 44,410 pounds of ground pork for Missouri families

 

 

The Drive to Feed Kids Pork Partnership, a collaboration between Missouri Farmers Care and Missouri Pork Association, has delivered 44,410 pounds of ground pork to Feeding Missouri, the association of Missouri's six regional food banks.

 

The collaboration has provided Missourians with more than 203,000 servings of much-needed, high-quality protein, Missouri Farmers Care said in a news release posted on its website.

 

As part of Missouri Farmers Care, the Drive to Feed Kids programme works to reduce food insecurity across Missouri in partnership with Feeding Missouri and its network of food banks. As Coronavirus-related slowdowns among major pork processors strained the processing chain in May and June, the Drive to Feed Kids Pork Partnership has helped bridge the gap between Missourians in need and pork producers who faced a reduction in processing availability.

 

"During this challenging time, Missouri's farmers continue to go above and beyond to help feed Missourians in need", said Scott Baker, state director of Feeding Missouri.

 

"Our farmers are facing their own set of challenges, but that hasn't stopped them in their ongoing commitment to help our neighbors who are struggling right now. Protein continues to be one of our greatest needs. These donations have helped families across the state, and we are very grateful."

 

'Model programme'

 

Dan Cassidy, secretary of Missouri Farmers Care and chair of the Drive to Feed Kids, described the Pork Partnership as a model programme in which hog farmers have donated animals and others have contributed funds for processing..

 

"Every regional food bank has received meat under the programme and thousands of Missourians now have access to high-quality pork", he said.

 

Missouri pig farmers that have made donations to this effort include Kessler Farms, Purina Animal Nutrition, Epperson Family Farms, Ham Hill Farms Inc., Newport Farms LLC, Eichelberger Farms Inc., JBS and Harrison Creek Farms. These pork producers have donated a total of 382 pigs to the Partnership, which were processed by Central Missouri Meat and Sausage of Fulton.

 

Those that have donated to cover processing and transportation costs in this partnership include Brownfield Ag News, Missouri Farm Bureau Federation, Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance, American Family Insurance, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, Missouri Soybean Association, FCS Financial, MFA Incorporated, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Forrest and Charlotte Lucas  (founders of Protect the Harvest), Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, Paseo Biofuels LLC, Biofuels LLC and several individuals.

 

Missouri Farmers Care is a coalition of more than 40 Missouri agricultural groups, while the Missouri Pork Association represents the state's pork producers in the areas of promotion, research, education and legislation.

The Drive to Feed Kids Pork Partnership has delivered 44,410 pounds of ground pork to Feeding Missouri, the association of Missouri's six regional food banks since May 2020. Image: Missouri Farmers Care