Beef Counts Makes a Difference in Washington

As we all know, this time of year is about giving and I’m happy to be sharing today’s story about the Washington Beef industry helping to feed the hungry.

Earlier this month the Yakima County Cattlemen donated a steer to the annual fundraising rollover auction held at the Toppenish Livestock Auction for the Beef Counts program. All donations are split between Second Harvest in Eastern Washington and Food Lifeline in Western Washington for their use in purchasing beef roasts or ground beef for their food bank clients.

Washington Cattle Feeders Association Executive Director Ed Field shares

Field: “ This year we raised $17,634 at the auction and then our good friends at AgriBeef match 50 percent of that. So the $17,634 was actual dollars raised and AgriBeef will match that with 50 percent in product. That goes tot he food banks for people in need that don’t get good beef protein all the time.”

Field added that both Northwest Farm Credit Services and the Kittitas County Cattlemen and CattleWomen donated $2,500 towards the program as well.

Following the rollover auction later that same week, Washington Beef employees, ranchers and feeders volunteered at Beef Counts mobile food banks in Toppenish and Ellensburg.

At the distribution events, producers distributed nutritious beef to 716 families, which included 1,849 children and seniors in two days.