CANADA – Canadian grain handling business, Viterra Inc has partnered with Foodgrains Bank, a member of the Humanitarian Coalition to end global hunger.
The two are teaming up for the third year in a row in a partnership that will see them work with Canadian farmers to help hungry people around the world.
Viterra terminals in Lethbridge, Trochu and Stettler in Alberta and Viterra terminals in Raymore and Grenfell in Saskatchewan will all be seeded on behalf of the Foodgrains Bank.
“One of the main challenges we hear from farmers wanting to donate a crop to the Foodgrains Bank or to start a growing project is the issue of land,” said Jim Cornelius, executive director of the Foodgrains Bank.
“2019 marks 30 years of Canadian farmers coming together to collectively grow crops for the Foodgrains Bank on donated or rented land.
“It’s creative support like this from Viterra that will help growing projects continue being a successful avenue for Canadian farmers to create positive change in the world for another 30 years.”
Volunteer farmers and growing projects from each location are donating their time, expertise and resources to farm the various plots of land.
“We’re pleased to continue growing our relationship with the Foodgrains Bank by providing them access to land around our elevators,” said Kyle Jeworski, Viterra’s president and chief executive officer (CEO) for North America.
“This team effort between our organizations and the farmers who generously donate their time to plant and harvest the crops each year, is a great example of how combining our resources can significantly help a worthy cause.”
For the first time in the three-year partnership, a Hutterite colony has taken up Viterra’s offer of land.
The Raymore Hutterite colony will be seeding 60 acres of peas while the other locations are being farmed by a combination of growing projects and individuals.
When the crops are harvested, the proceeds from the sale of the crop are donated to the Foodgrains Bank and used to fund hunger response projects around the world.
Foodgrains Bank aims to provide food for the hungry in times of crisis, help people grow more food, and provide nutritional support to malnourished people.
