SSGA doing its part to alleviate hunger during holiday season
By Kate Ayers
Staff Reporter
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) has launched its second annual Beef Drive to provide food, throughout the holiday season, to those less fortunate.
Last year, SSGA set what it thought was a realistic target of 1,000 pounds of ground beef to be donated to local food banks. After the campaign, when the SSGA did the final tally, Saskatchewan ranchers donated a total of 8,500 pounds of beef valued at $48,000, according to last week’s SSGA release.
“This started as a small project … and it just rolled from there,” Chad Macpherson, general manager of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, said to Farms.com today.
SSGA raised the bar this year with the goal of donating 10,000 pounds of fresh ground beef.
Shane Jahnke, SSGA president, said that the members just wanted to pitch in and help people.
And, although Christmas is still a couple of months away, the SSGA is getting a head start. Members have already donated 4,000 pounds of meat to the Beef Drive. The association also donated 3,000 pounds of beef to food banks on World Food Day Oct. 16.
“It’s been a win-win, said Macpherson. “The foodbanks have been thrilled to receive the protein because they really struggle to get perishable items – especially meats because they are hard to keep. But (meat) is something they want to include in their hampers.
“The producers have really stepped up.”
Farmers can donate either cattle or cash towards the fundraising efforts. Treen Packers, West Bridgeford Meats and Western Prime Meat will process the meat, according to the release.
These three processors are giving SSGA discounts on the processing rate. And one is matching pound-for-pound what producers donate, which is exponentially increasing the donations, explained Macpherson.
The Beef Drive received extra support from Elanco Animal Health’s 100 Communities initiative with the company’s donation of US$10,000 to the cause.
If you are interested in supporting the Beef Drive or want more information on the campaign, click here or call the SSGA office at (306) 757-8523.
Updated Oct. 26, 2017