By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

Jones County Farm Bureau donated 520 pounds of pork through Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Farmers Feeding Families program.

The ground pork was distributed to Jones County families in need by Hamlin Community Food Bank and Helping Hands Ministries Anson.

“We wait until the end of the livestock show season for someone to donate a pig or we’ll purchase one,” said Kevin Corzine, Jones County Farm Bureau president. “Then, we’ll have it ground into one-pound ground pork packages and donate that protein to local organizations.”

This marks the second year Jones County Farm Bureau has participated in the Farmers Feeding Families program. Last year, they made two donations totaling 593 pounds of pork.

“We’ve built great relationships with local agriculture teachers and school superintendents,” he said. “They’re always willing to donate pigs to us for this program to give back to our communities.”

Corzine noted the need for protein donations for local food banks.

“The food banks need this more than just once a year,” Corzine said. “They get a lot of donations that come in, but animal protein is one of the hardest things for them to come by. So, for us to come and donate these one-pound packages of ground pork to them is huge.”

Food insecurity continues to affect communities across the state. In Texas, one in six households is food insecure, and the Lone Star State has the second-highest rate of food insecurity in the nation.

For Jones County Farm Bureau, the program is also an opportunity to connect consumers with the farmers and ranchers who grow and raise their food while supporting their local community.

“In small communities like Jones County, agriculture is a huge part of our lives, but a lot of people don’t know where their food comes from,” Corzine said. “This is a way that we can be visible to them, and they can see what we’re doing. Whether it’s growing crops or raising livestock, we can bridge that gap between us and consumers.”

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.