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Farmers and ranchers go the second mile to stamp out hunger...
By Lana Robinson
Field Editor
Texas farmers and ranchers went above and beyond the call of duty to help feed the hungry in 2004. Not only did they make their usual, significant contribution by growing food and fiber for the state and nation, but working in coordination with America's Second Harvest—the nation's largest charitable hunger relief organization—county Farm Bureaus across the state collected more than seven tons of food and delivered it to the San Antonio Food Bank. As one of 18 food banks in the state, the SA Food Bank houses perishable and nonperishable food donations for distribution through 320 nonprofit charities throughout a 16-county region in Southwest Texas.
Texas Farm Bureau President Kenneth Dierschke said much of the success of the food drive was due to efforts by TFB's Young Farmer & Rancher Advisory Committee, who headed up the special project. The YF&R group rallied the Texas Farm Bureau troops to donate food for the cause.
During the organization's 71st annual convention in the Alamo City last month, members brought 15,487 lbs. of food (which included 2.5 tons of rice) with them. The food, along with cash donations in the amount of $4,082, was presented to a representative of the San Antonio Food Bank.
"It was a great effort on the part of our Young Farmer & Rancher Committee," said Dierschke, during at a Dec. 6 press conference. "We have 207 counties organized in the state. The participants brought the food here, to San Antonio, to show our appreciation for the hospitality this city has shown to us. We are glad to share the bounty that we have."
Mark Sustaire, chairman of TFB's Young Farmer & Rancher Committee, agreed.
"As the first harvesters of our nation's food supply, farmers and ranchers feel it is important to remember that there is still hunger in America," said Sustaire. "As first harvesters, the farmers and ranchers of Texas are committed to providing our nation with the most affordable and safest food supply in the world. We're proud to join America's Second Harvest in the fight against hunger in San Antonio, across Texas and the United States."
Si Cook, Texas Farm Bureau Organization Programs director, said he was astounded with the response from county Farm Bureaus.
"When we started, obviously, we didn't know what to expect. We were overwhelmed at the amount of food and the money. I will say this is probably one the best efforts in the nation. When you get almost 8 tons of food, from the Valley to Amarillo—all four corners of the state—that's not an easy thing to accomplish. The greatest thing about it is it was such a team effort. It started, like all things, with the county Farm Bureaus, collecting at that level, and then it took staff and YF&R members to get it from the counties to San Antonio, and once it was in San Antonio, we had to get it to the food bank. So we covered some miles and spent some hours. I guess it's the perfect example of effective Farm Bureau work. When a bunch of people do a little bit, you can get a lot accomplished."
Receiving the donations on behalf of the San Antonio Food Bank was Eric Cooper, executive director.
"The food deposited in the San Antonio Food bank will yield some healthy returns to many of the needy families that we serve throughout our community," said Cooper. "When you think about the farmers and ranchers and folks throughout the state really doing a grassroots effort to help the poor and needy, collecting food throughout the state—and then coming to San Antonio to celebrate this gift— it's pretty amazing. Thank you for your generosity."
Cooper said the holidays create a critical time of need. Therefore, the timing of the food donations was especially meaningful, but the need exists year-round.
"In Texas, roughly 20 percent of our population fall below the poverty line. For a single individual, that is someone who makes about $8,400 or less. When I think of hunger, I have to think of a math equation. We all pay our bills in the same way—rent, utilities, insurances, car payment, stuff like that. With what's left over, we buy food. In too many households throughout the state, there's just nothing left over, and so this donation today will help make up the difference for those families that are struggling during this holiday season," Cooper said.
Cooper encouraged others to follow the example of the Texas Farm Bureau by getting involved in the issue of hunger.
"There's three things the food bank needs to operate: food, time and money. We encourage people to get involved in those ways," he said.
Steve Anderegg, a corn and soybean farmer from Mason City, Iowa who serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation's YF&R chairman, was on hand for presentation of the food and money donations.
"We're seeing efforts like this all over the U.S., but this effort is much larger than many other states," Anderegg observed. "I must commend the Texas Farm Bureau and the Texas Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Program for the effort that they put forth to show that we grow the most abundant, safest food supply in the world, and that we have extra to share with the needy here in the United States."
Anderegg said the AFBF committee's effort was two-fold: to draw attention to and stamp out hunger in America; and to highlight the important work and often-overlooked contributions of the nation's farmers and ranchers.
