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Ag partnerships help Illinois pork producers double food bank donations

The executive director of the Illinois Pork Producers Association says a long-standing partnership among several agricultural organizations is helping to feed those in need this holiday season.

Jennifer Tirey says the Illinois Pork Power program has donated over 100,000 pounds of ground pork to food banks across the state.

“It’s a partnership with the Illinois Corn Growers Association and the Illinois Soybean Association.”  She says, “This year, we were able to match those monetary contributions with funds from Feeding Illinois, which allowed us to double the amount of ground pork that we were able to donate.”

She tells Brownfield that the effort is also supported by the Illinois Meat Processors Association.

“They offer us a lower rate to process those animals and then allow us to really make our dollars go farther as well.”  She says, “We would not be able to do it without our friends in the other parts of the agricultural community.”

Tirey says Feeding Illinois plans to again match the Pork Producers’ contribution next year through the Illinois Farm to Food Bank program to ensure a much-needed donation of protein continues for the state’s less fortunate.

AUDIO: Jennifer Tirey – Illinois Pork Producers Association