By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

When Montague County Farm Bureau members asked local food pantries what they needed most, the answer was simple: protein.

Through Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Farmers Feeding Families program, the county Farm Bureau purchased a market hog from a local FFA exhibitor and donated the processed pork to the Forestburg Food Pantry and the Nocona Senior Citizens Center to help feed local families.

“The food pantries told us they receive plenty of canned goods through school food drives and churches, which is wonderful,” said Ryan Yeatts, Montague County Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher chair. “But they also told us they’re always in need of meat to serve people, and this is a great opportunity for us to step in, support a local youth exhibitor and donate the meat to our community.”

This marks the second year Montague County Farm Bureau has participated in the program, and it’s one of several ways the county organization works to fight hunger locally.

In addition to the pork donation, Montague County Farm Bureau hosted a Food Connection event, providing $1,000 in grocery gift cards at a local supermarket. Members visited with shoppers about the role farmers and ranchers play in growing their food and provided them with gift cards ranging from $5 to $50.

“The Food Connection event helps us get out in front of people, and they see Farm Bureau actively giving back,” Yeatts said. “We get to have one-on-one conversations with consumers and talk about where their food comes from.”

Food insecurity is often associated with larger cities, but Yeatts said the need is just as real in rural communities.

“Every day, there’s somebody who’s struggling to put food on the table,” said Yeatts, who also serves as Texas Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer & Rancher Advisory Committee chair. “Whether it’s senior citizens on fixed incomes, families with young children or someone who’s recently lost a job, there are always people who could use a little help.”

One in six Texas households experiences food insecurity, giving the state the second-highest rate of food insecurity in the nation.

The Farmers Feeding Families program, coordinated by Texas Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer & Rancher Advisory Committee, encourages county Farm Bureaus to donate livestock, volunteer time, make monetary contributions and provide food items to local organizations.

For more information about the Farmers Feeding Families program or to learn how to donate, contact your county Farm Bureau or visit texasfarmbureau.org/fff.