Ranchers Feeding Kids Update
Welcome to Open Range, I’m Susan Allen. Stay tuned because after the break I’ll check in with our field reporter, Greg Martin for the AgriBeef Minute.
I’m Greg Martin with today’s AgriBeef Minute. Some time back we talked with Anna-Marie Chamberlain with Oregon’s Malheur County Extension office about the Ranchers Feeding Kids Program.
CHAMBERLAIN: The program is still growing and going really strong since we started in 2009. We now have 7 school districts from Malheur County that are participating. In total we have donated 40 head of cows, 36 of which have been processed.
The meat of course is used in school lunch programs. This is pure 100% beef that has not been adulterated in any fashion. Chamberlain talks about how ranchers can get involved.
CHAMBERLAIN: Ranchers that want to get involved really can contact me as far as if they have an animal they want to donate. I try to keep a running list and when we have a few animals gathered and schools that have freezer space then we set the processing date and get the animals processed
John Burt with Farmers Ending Hunger has donated over $12,000 in processing fees so that it is entirely free to the local schools. She says the idea is catching on.
CHAMBERLAIN: It’s really taking off here in Malheur County and we’re really striving to meet the entire beef demand that these schools might need. We’re not there yet but we’re working on it. The biggest shortfall we have is the storage and freezer space but we’re working with the schools to help them get extra freezers so they can hold all the beef.
I’m Greg Martin and that’s today’s AgriBeef Minute.
Thanks Greg. Don’t forget Greg will be back each Wednesday with the AgriBeef Minute. Agri Beef Co - Real Families, Great People, Exceptional Beef. I’m Susan Allen.
