Illinois Agriculture Unites to Donate Over 109,000 Pounds of Pork to Food Banks Across the State

Dec 12, 2025

By Tara Desmond

Illinois agriculture is once again stepping up to fight hunger. Through the Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign, the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), Feeding Illinois, IL Corn, Illinois Meat Processors Association, and the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff programs are donating more than 109,000 pounds of ground pork to regional food banks across Illinois.

This end-of-year donation reflects the shared commitment of Illinois farmers, livestock producers, commodity organizations, and processors to provide high-quality protein to families in need.

A Powerful Partnership to Combat Hunger

Each year, IPPA pools funds to purchase ground pork, distributing it among Illinois food banks. For 2025, Feeding Illinois matched IPPA’s contribution, doubling the amount of pork available thanks to support from the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program, a state initiative connecting farmers directly with food banks to supply fresh, local food.

“Matching Illinois Pork Producers’ Pork Power program with Feeding Illinois’ Farm to Food Bank funding combines two impactful programs,” said Steve Ericson, Feeding Illinois. “This partnership puts more fresh, high-quality protein on the tables of our state’s hungry neighbors while investing in our Illinois hog farmers and supporting our Feeding Illinois food bank.”

The Illinois Association of Meat Processors (IAMP) also plays a key role by preparing an 85% lean ground pork product sourced from Illinois hogs.

“The Pork Power program once again is a full-circle effort from the farm to the tables of those in need, just in time for the holiday season,” said Dianne Handsaker, IAMP.

Click here to see more...

Video: What If Everything You Knew About Feed Inventory Was Wrong?

AI, Agriculture & the Future of Smart Farming with BinSentry CEO Ben Allen. Every day, livestock producers make thousands of dollars' worth of decisions based on one simple question: How much feed is actually left in the bin? For decades, the answer has often been an estimate.

In this episode of AgTech with Andrew, I sit down with Ben Allen, CEO of BinSentry, to explore how artificial intelligence, machine vision and real-time data are transforming one of agriculture's most overlooked challenges—feed and grain inventory management.
We discuss why some of the biggest inefficiencies in livestock production aren't happening in the barn, but throughout the feed supply chain. Ben shares insights from his career leading agricultural technology companies, explains why AI must solve real business problems to earn producer trust, and offers his vision for the connected farm of the future.

In this interview, you'll discover:
Why feed inventory has remained one of agriculture's biggest blind spots
How AI is reducing costly feed outages, waste and unnecessary deliveries
The hidden safety risks of traditional bin inspections
What separates successful ag technologies from those that never gain adoption
How connected farms are changing decision-making for producers, feed mills and integrators
Why real-time inventory may become as important as precision planting and autonomous equipment

Whether you're a livestock producer, grain farmer, feed manufacturer, ag retailer, nutritionist or simply passionate about the future of agriculture, this conversation offers valuable insights into where the industry is headed.