By Sean Ellis
Idaho’s ranching community supports a program aimed at making sure beef can be what’s for dinner for everyone, especially those who can least afford it.
The Idaho beef community created its Beef Counts program to provide the funds necessary to purchase beef for Idahoans in need.
Created in 2010, the program has distributed more than 2.6 million 3-ounce servings of beef through the Idaho Foodbank’s statewide network.
The program is a partnership between the Idaho Cattle Association, Idaho CattleWomen, the Idaho Beef Council and Boise-based Agri Beef, which matches up to $50,000 in cash or in-kind donations to the Beef Counts program each year.
These groups recently celebrated and promoted the program with a labeling event at the Idaho Foodbank location in Meridian that had volunteers placing Beef Counts labels on beef packages prepared for distribution to needy Idahoans.
Dozens of volunteers from various segments of Idaho’s beef industry showed up for this event, which was also a chance to educate people about the Beef Counts program.
From a donation perspective, protein is expensive and hard to get, Idaho Foodbank CEO Randy Ford said during the labeling event. Protein is one of the least commonly donated items to the Idaho Foodbank, he said.
Less than 5 percent of the Foodbank’s funding comes from government; the rest comes from donations, and programs like Beef Counts have a significant impact, he added.
“This is a fantastic (program) for the Idaho Foodbank to be involved in and we’re very thankful for all of the cattle producers across the state and the partnership we have with them,” Ford said. “It really makes a difference.”
“The whole purpose of Beef Counts is so that Idaho’s ranchers, farmers and the cattle industry can give back to their communities by providing a high-quality protein, beef, to the Idaho Foodbank so they can distribute it statewide year-round,” said Weiser rancher and Idaho Beef Council board member Bruce Kerner.
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