As part of Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign, the Illinois Pork Producers Association has donated close to 1 million pounds of pork to food banks since 2008. 

Now Pork Power is on the road to generating close to 1 million pounds of pork - over 3.3 million servings - for families throughout Illinois. Farmers and partnering commodity groups have worked together to donate to the program year-round in order to help feed those in need.  

IPPA President Elect Chad Leman was recently joined by Illinois Corn Marketing Board Director Dale Haudrich, and staff members from the Illinois Pork Producers Association, the Illinois Corn Growers Association and the Illinois Soybean Association at Midwest Food Bank in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois to donate over 11,000 pounds of pork processed by Steidinger Foods. Midwest Food Bank in Bloomington-Normal serves nearly 500 agency partners across 50 counties throughout Central and Eastern Illinois. 

"As farmers, we are deeply passionate about donating to our local communities, providing food to those in need, and further expanding the reach of pork, a healthy source of protein," says Leman. "The Pork Power program allows us to do all those things and we look forward with much anticipation as we continue the road to reaching our goal of 1 million pounds of donated pork."

"Pork Power is an important project that allows farmers in Illinois to help hungry families get the protein they need," says Jim Reed, IL Corn chairman and farmer from DeLand. "The food banks we serve are thrilled to receive our protein donation and IL Corn and the corn farmers we serve are simply proud to be a part of such an important mission. This program is a great opportunity to give back to local communities, work together, and eat more pork."

"Year after year, our partnership with IL Corn and IL Pork through the Pork Power program proves to be invaluable to us, and when we can leverage that partnership to support local food banks that help those in need, it benefits everyone involved," says Scott Gaffner, ISA at-large director and market development committee chair. "Together we help feed and fuel the world."

Towards the end of each calendar year IPPA turns the remaining funds into ground pork and divides it among the regional food banks in the state. As part of the end-of-the-year giving campaign, over 11,000 pounds of pork was donated today to Midwest Food Bank, putting us that much closer to the goal of one million pounds of pork. 

IPPA thanks its sponsors: Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Illinois Soybean Association, Compeer Financial, Farmweld, The Illinois Meat Processors Association and Knox County Pork Producers.

IPPA also encourages pig farmers to participate in the program by covering processing fees of their donated pigs. Farmers can go to IPPA site to learn more about the donation process. IPPA says this program would not be possible without the help of commodity partners, local packers and processors across the state, and those who purchased a themed t-shirt that profited the program. 

Source: Illinois Pork Producers Association, which is solely responsible for the information provided, and wholly owns the information. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.