RAPID CITY, S.D. – In an effort to help South Dakotans struggling with increased grocery costs, South Dakota Farmers Union partnered with Farmers Union Enterprises to donate 35,000 pounds of pork to Feeding South Dakota.
“Family farmers and ranchers are not immune to increased grocery prices. Like everyone else, our food costs have gone up, but our income has not,” explained Doug Sombke, president of South Dakota Farmers Union.
With some 80,000 South Dakotans facing food insecurity, Megan Kjose, development director for Feeding South Dakota said the pork donated by Farmers Union is much needed.
“When we talk to guests, some of the most important food products are protein,” Kjose said.
The pork will be distributed to about 13,000 South Dakotans across the state served through Feeding South Dakota’s mobile food distribution. Through this program, volunteers provide 55-65 pound boxes of food to guests who face food insecurity.
“The support we receive from our agriculture partners, like Farmers Union, goes a long way to the work Feeding South Dakota does to address food insecurity in our state,” Kjose said.
The 35,000 pounds of pork are from Redwood Farms, one of the entities in the Farmers Union family of businesses owned by Farmers Union Enterprises. Redwood Farms supplies premium pork products to high-end restaurants in New York, Chicago and other cities across the U.S.
