Local Dairy Farmers Fight Hunger in Missouri « Back

SEDALIA, Mo. – Dairy farmers of Missouri will collect canned food items from fair-goers in exchange for discounted tickets at the gates of the Missouri State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 16, to aid in the fight against hunger in the state.

Other Missouri farmers representing various farm commodity groups who are members of Missouri Farmers Care will also help collect food for what is a larger problem than most realize in Missouri. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, 139,000 Missourians “receive emergency food assistance in any given week.”

The food drive event, known as Missouri Farmers Care Food Drive Tuesday, in cooperation with Ford and Missouri Farmers, also benefits fair-goers, who can receive $1 off of their ticket for each can of food donated, up to half off the total. Adults can receive up to $4 off their $8 ticket with four donated food cans, senior tickets can be discounted by $3 and children’s tickets by $1.

The effort extends a broader initiative that began in early June.  Since then, people have traveled to Missouri Ford dealerships to donate non-perishable items, helping to grow the contribution to the Missouri Food Bank Association and its six primary locations, as well as local pantries.

Midwest Dairy is one of many agricultural entities who make up Missouri Farmers Care. Others include: Cargill; FCS Financial; Missouri Agribusiness Association; Missouri Beef Industry Council; Inc.; Missouri Cattlemen’s Association; Missouri Corn Planting Opportunity; Missouri Dairy Association; Missouri Dairy Growth Council; Missouri Egg Council, Inc.; Missouri Farm Bureau; Missouri Pet Breeders; Missouri Pork Association; Missouri Rural Electric Cooperatives; Missouri Soybeans; Missouri Veterinary Medical Association; MFA Incorporated; Missouri Federation of Animal Owners; and United Producers, Inc.

Missouri Farmers Care advocates on behalf of more than 108,000 farms in the state that provide both food and jobs to local communities.

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Editor’s Note: Check out www.mofarmerscare.com  to see how farmers support Missouri.

Midwest Dairy Association is a non-profit organization funded by dairy farmers to build demand for dairy products through integrated marketing, nutrition education and research. Midwest Dairy is funded by checkoff dollars from dairy farmers in a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit www.midwestdairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.