Hunger remains a persistent challenge across the country, affecting people of all backgrounds, incomes, and communities. It’s a crisis that cuts across urban and rural lines alike, with food pantries and assistance programs struggling to keep up as demand grows. More organizations are stepping up to find innovative ways to address this need, and they’re calling on agriculture to play a role.
Midwest Food Bank is inviting farmers to be part of the solution through its Farm It Forward program. The initiative enables producers to donate a portion of their harvest to help combat food insecurity in rural America, where families frequently encounter unique challenges in accessing groceries. Whether due to long distances, limited retail options, or tight finances, more households are struggling. Farm It Forward turns grain donations into direct support for these communities. Eric Hodel, CEO of Midwest Food Bank, explains how the program works.
Food insecurity is no longer just an urban issue—it’s rising steadily in rural parts of the country as well. Families in small towns are increasingly facing empty shelves and tough choices, driven by economic strain, limited access to grocery stores, and rising costs.
Midwest Food Bank supplies a significant amount of food to small-town pantries throughout rural America. Their efforts help ensure that families in these often-overlooked communities have access to essential groceries.
Farmers interested in helping can visit midwestfoodbank.org to learn more about the charitable grain donation program, which offers a simple four-step process to turn part of their harvest into hunger relief. Along with supporting a vital cause, participating farmers may also benefit by reducing their taxable income through a before-tax donation.
