NY farmers donated 8 million pounds of food last year
Photos by Tom Rivers: Albion FFA members and some of the Albion football players are pictured on Dec. 12, 2020 after loading a flat-bed trailer and another smaller trailer with 53,000 pounds of produce, milk and other food. They then delivered and unloaded the food at Community Action on East State Street. The Albion FFA has been leading the food drive for 14 years.
Press Release, New York Farm Bureau
New York Farm Bureau is reporting that its members donated 8 million pounds of food to regional foodbanks across the state last year through the Harvest for All program.
The number was announced this month at the annual American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Omaha, NE.
Once again, New York State had the second highest donation total in the country, only behind Florida.
The “Harvest for All” donation program is a nationwide annual farm donation partnership linking Farm Bureau and Feeding America in each state. In New York, NYFB’s YF&R Committee and Feeding New York State administer the statewide donation partnership. The food is then distributed among the 10 Feeding America food banks throughout the state.
The work highlights the importance of our regional food banks in helping reduce food insecurity in the state. NYFB and Feeding NYS continue to advocate for full funding of Nourish NY and the Healthy School Meals for All programs in the New York State budget. The vital programs, in part, provide food banks with resources to purchase healthy, local food which benefit New Yorkers in need and the state’s farming community.
“New York agriculture has a long commitment of giving back,” said Rich De Meyer, New York Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers chairman. “We understand the importance of fresh, healthy food to our communities, and how it makes a difference. I would like to thank every farm that donated last year and to give thanks to Feeding New York State for its work to bridge the connection between our farm families and those in need. New York Farm Bureau will continue to work hard to build a stronger food system and increase food access for all New Yorkers.”
Dan Egan, Feeding New York State Executive Director said, “Feeding New York State thanks the farmers of New York for their incredible donations of top-quality fresh food. Our 10 food banks feed millions of our neighbors, but we could do none of this work without the farmers who produce our food. My dad used to say, ‘Work is love made visible.’ Our work together is how we all love our neighbors. We look forward to the year ahead with hope for a good growing season, good health and good shared work.”
Scott Oldenburg, left, is the Albion FFA advisor. Kaitlynn Basinait, second from left, is the FFA president. They help unload 37,000 pounds of produce and donated food from local farmers on Dec. 9, 2023. The food was delivered to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.
