As part of the Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign, the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), along with the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) and the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) today announced a donation of more than 13,500 pounds of ground pork to the Midwest Food Bank (MFB) in Bloomington.

This donation will support the on-going efforts of Gridley Meats and several pork producers who have continued to donate pigs throughout the year. The donated pigs are processed by Gridley Meats. During 2011, Gridley Meats will deliver approximately 30,000 pounds of donated pork to the Midwest Food Bank. This donated pork is distributed to needy families throughout Central Illinois.

In 2008, IPPA launched Pork Power with the goal of helping fight hunger in Illinois. During the four years, Pork Power has generated more than 256,000 pounds of pork. With this donation, the Pork Power program surpasses more than 1 million servings of pork provided to families throughout Illinois.

The Pork Power program is also an opportunity to promote pork as families are educated on how to prepare and incorporate pork into their favorite dishes. Families receive information on the important nutritional, mental and physical benefits of including protein in the diet.

“Pork producers are committed to helping their neighbors throughout the state who are having difficulty feeding their families,” said Mike Haag, a pork producer from Emington and current President of the IL Pork Producers Association (www.ilpork.com). “It is important that Illinois families have access to protein not just during the holiday season, but throughout the year as well. Illinois pork producers are dedicated to producing safe, wholesome and affordable food and are proud to work with the partnering organizations to support the Midwest Food Bank and Gridley Meats' pork donation program.”

Donna Jeschke, a corn farmer from Mazon, Ill., and current District 5 director of the IL Corn Marketing Board (www.ilcorn.org) agrees that the partnership is the right thing to do at the right time. “This type of project is a winning situation for everyone involved, not just the Corn Marketing Board or pork producers, but most importantly, our neighbors throughout Illinois will receive protein which is vital to everyone's nutritional needs. I’m glad that Illinois corn farmers can help make pork available at a local level.”

Pork Power is a natural partnership for soybean farmers, says Dan Farney, a soybean farmer from Morton, Ill. and current District 5 director for the Illinois Soybean Association (www.ilsoy.org). “It is important for all of the Illinois commodity groups to work together for a common goal,” Farney said. “As farmers, it is our responsibility to feed the world. The Pork Power program helps us start by feeding those in need in Illinois while also promoting the livestock industry, which is the top consumer of soybeans.”

Each day, food banks provide access to healthy and nutritious food in an effort to keep families across Illinois from going to bed hungry. USDA recommends meat protein as part of a well-balanced and nutritious diet, yet it is often difficult for food banks to maintain an adequate supply.  The Pork Power partners are committed to making meat protein available to those most in need. This donation will provide more than 54,000 servings of protein to people served by the Midwest Food Bank.

This pork donation builds upon the on-going efforts of Gridley Meats and several local pork producers. Gridley Meats periodically receives pig donations from up to eight different local pork producers. Four of these producers regularly donate pigs including: Kuntz Farms of Gridley; Ringger Farms from Gridley; Leman Farms from Eureka: and The Maschhoffs from Carlyle. The pork products are then donated to the Midwest Food Bank in Bloomington.

The Midwest Food Bank was created in 2003 when the Kieser family began providing food out of a shed on their family farm. The MFB began by serving about 10 food pantries in McLean County. Today they serve over 500 organizations across the Midwest. The food given out each month now reaches over 100,000 people.

“The pork producers who donate pigs are helping to bridge the gap between prosperity and poverty,” said David Kieser, President, Midwest Food Bank. "They have taken on the challenge of helping others, and they are doing so with a nutritious, high-quality product that is an important addition to our food bank. The donation by the pork, corn, and soybean groups will help us to further our efforts during these difficult economic times.”