In a world where one in 11 people globally are experiencing hunger, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Viterra, and its volunteer farmers are celebrating nine years of partnership to help thousands of families become food-secure.
In 2024, about 267 acres of land were provided at five Viterra facilities in Balgonie, Grenfell and Raymore in Saskatchewan, as well as Trochu and Lethbridge in Alberta.
Volunteer farmers working at these terminals gave their time and efforts to plant and harvest crops on the acres designated for Foodgrains Bank use, raising funds to help respond to hunger around the world through the Foodgrains Bank network.
“For the ninth consecutive year, we’re grateful to be partnering with Viterra, and with the volunteer farmers in Alberta and Saskatchewan who remain dedicated to harvesting crops and raising funds to help end hunger around the world,” says Foodgrains Bank executive director Andy Harrington.
“With many places around the world grappling with severe levels of hunger, such as Haiti, Sudan, and Gaza, this support is more important than ever as we work together to see a world where families do not have to experience the painful reality of hunger,” says Andy.
“As a global industry leader, we recognize the importance of food security and moving food ingredients to areas of need safely and efficiently,” says Kyle Jeworski, CEO of Viterra Canada. “I would like to thank the Foodgrains Bank for the great work they do to help fight hunger globally, our farmers for their time and effort in supporting these growing projects, and our employees who have been helping to facilitate our efforts with the Foodgrains Bank for the last nine years.”
In addition to providing the land, Viterra is also providing the Foodgrains Bank with a donation of $5 for each tonne of crops donated to the organization through its grain elevators in Western Canada.
Foodgrains Bank projects funded through this partnership include humanitarian responses to help people affected by conflict and natural disasters, as well as development projects that help people lift themselves out of poverty in the longer-term, often by providing agricultural training.