Montana Farmers Union donates over 36,840 pounds of pork to Montana Food Bank Network

The valuable protein resource has already been delivered to many of our Network Partners in Beaverhead, Big Horn, Browning, Carbon, Cascade, Custer, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fergus, Gallatin, Glacier, Granite, Missoula, Musselshell, Park, Powell, Rosebud, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Wibaux, and Yellowstone counties.

Montana Farmers Union:

“Montana Farmers Union is working with Montana Food Bank Network to help feed the families of Montana. Recently we donated a third truckload of pork that was processed in a Farmers Union-owned Redwood Farms pork processing plant. This is our way to help farmers to feed families. MFU is also working with Montana Premium Processing Cooperative to process donated livestock for the food banks and pantries of Montana. Farmers Union will pay for the processing of any livestock that is donated to Montana food banks and pantries that is processed at Montana Premium Processing Co-op. I am also excited to be helping Montana Foodbank Network to raise money to build a new storage and processing facility in Missoula to help with the procurement and distribution of food around the state. This new facility will have a special space dedicated to taking food directly from Montana growers to be repackaged for distribution. This will allow Montana farmers to provide food directly to the food bank network. If you are interested in supporting Montana Food Bank Network, please reach out to let them know.”Walter Schweitzer, President  

Montana Food Bank Network:

“We are so thankful for Montana Farmers Union’s donation of 36,840 pounds of pork! This could not have come at a better time as food pantries statewide continue to report significant numbers of households needing food right now as families struggle to keep up with the inflated cost of groceries, fuel, utilities, rent, and living expenses. It is because of donors like the Montana Farmers Union that I remain optimistic that we will get through these hard times and provide some relief to our neighbors and seniors experiencing food insecurity.” Brent Weisgram, Vice President and COO    

Distribution Statistics:

Thanks to Montana Farmers Union (MFU), all donated pork has been provided and distributed free of charge to our Network Partners of food banks, food pantries, shelters, schools, and senior centers across Montana.

Montana Farmers Union is a grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the agricultural way of life. Their membership is made up of folks who support rural communities and family farms and ranches. They believe that no farmer or rancher should stand alone, and are fighting for the issues that will preserve agriculture and rural communities for the next generation. For more information, visit montanafarmersunion.com.

Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN) is Montana’s only statewide food bank and member of Feeding America. MFBN distributes food to over 340 partners that include community food banks, pantries, senior centers, shelters, and schools to end hunger in Montana. MFBN’s hunger relief programs include BackPack, Hunters Against Hunger, Mail-a-Meal, Retail Food Rescue, and SNAP outreach. MFBN advocates for long-term policy solutions to strengthen public nutrition programs and address the root causes of hunger.

For more information, visit mfbn.org.