Montana Farmers Union Helps Donate Pork to Feed Montanans

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Great Falls – Montana Farmers Union is pleased to partner with Farmers Union Enterprise to donate 30,000 pounds of pork ribs to the Montana Food Bank Network in Missoula, MT. The pork ribs are from Redwood Farms, one of the entities in the Farmers Union family of businesses owned by Farmers Union Enterprises, and were delivered Monday, May 18.

“COVID-19 has impacted all of us, said Walter Schweitzer, President of Montana Farmers Union. “It has affected our livelihoods and our food systems. Farmers Union is all about helping a neighbor in need. We are pleased to partner with Farmers Union Enterprise and donate 30,000 pounds of pork ribs to the Missoula Food Bank. Together we are helping to feed hungry Montanans.”

“Since the COVID crisis started, MFBN has increased its distribution to network partners by more than 500,000 meals compared to the same time last year,” said Gayle Carlson, CEO of the Montana Food Bank Network. “Unfortunately, it’s taking up to three months to replenish our inventory. The generous donation from Montana Farmers Union/Farmers Union Enterprise comes at a time when we are not only seeing an increase in need but a scarcity of resources to meet that need.”

Farmers Union Enterprises is made up of several businesses — the dividends of which help fund Farmers Union organizations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota and Wisconsin as well as Farmers Union Enterprise programs and National Farmers Union.

All told, Farmers Union Enterprises donated 150,000 pounds of pork ribs to various food pantries in the five states it supports. The pork ribs are from Redwood Farms, one of the entities in the Farmers Union family of businesses owned by Farmers Union Enterprises. Redwood Farms supplies premium pork products to high-end restaurants in New York, Chicago and other cities across the U.S.

Walter Schweitzer told Northern Ag Network that COVID-19 has put a microscope on our food supply chain and he says the chain is broken. “The fact that there’s hog producers that are euthanizing pigs and there are dairy farmers dumping milk down the drain, and yet you go to the grocery store and they’re rationing how much milk and meat you can buy. There’s something wrong with that system.”

Schweitzer said to address that, more local food processing is needed and Montana Farmers Union is looking for opportunities to bring more food processing to our region. “We’re looking at every opportunity possible to get processing back here in Montana and we’re willing to invest to make that happen. So if you’ve got an idea about a local processing plant that’ll process local Montana grown food, we want to help you make it happen.”

To learn more about how Montana Farmers Union works to support family farmers and ranchers, visit montanafarmersunion.com.

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Montana Farmers Union/Northern Ag Network

 

 

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