The project builds on last year's pilot project that saw Viterra provide the Foodgrains Bank with access to 42 acres of land to farm around its terminals in Balgonie, Saskatchewan and Stettler, Alberta.
“As a leading grain handler and marketer, we’re pleased to support the great work the Foodgrains Bank does in creating awareness about global hunger and trying to alleviate it in countries of need around the world,” said Kyle Jeworski, president and chief executive officer of Viterra North America. “By growing our program we are able to provide our volunteer farmers more land, which means a larger overall contribution at harvest time.”
Farm families and communities in the Canada, Albertan towns of Lethbridge, Trochu and Stettler as well as Saskatchewan families and communities in Balgonie, Raymore and Grenfell are volunteering their time, equipment and resources to farm the land. Once harvested, proceeds from the sale of the crop will be donated to the Foodgrains Bank.
Jim Cornelius, executive director for the Foodgrains Bank, said the partnership is an opportunity to celebrate the generosity of the Canadian agricultural community and its heart for reaching out beyond Canadian borders.
“Viterra is a longstanding partner of the Foodgrains Bank,” Cornelius said. “We are excited to grow and expand our partnership in new ways, and we are grateful for Viterra’s continued support for the work of ending global hunger.”
In addition to providing the land, Viterra will provide the Foodgrains Bank with a donation of C$5 for each tonne of crops donated to the organization through any of its grain elevators across Western Canada.
