Michigan Farm Bureau takes home top honor for national 'Harvest for All' program

During Hunger Action Month in September, more than 100 MFB staff members volunteered at various food banks in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Flint, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Oak Park to help sort and pack grocery goods for families in need. Image credit: Michigan Farm Bureau

Date Posted: March 8, 2023

Michigan Farm Bureau

In its mission to end hunger, Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) took top honors in the “Harvest for All” program, raising $372,716 in 2022.

Numerous fundraising activities conducted by Michigan county Farm Bureaus and the Agent Charitable Fund, coupled with “double-up” grants, helped Michigan reach its fund total.

Included was a month-long challenge that encouraged members and county Farm Bureaus to partner with communities and raised enough funds to provide 655,000 meals to Michigan families in need.

Now in its 21st year, American Farm Bureau Federation’s Harvest for All is spearheaded by members of its Young Farmers and Ranchers program, with members across the nation contributing to the effort. Their participation helps ensure Americans who are facing food insecurity can enjoy the bounty of food farmers and ranchers produce.

“This just shows what we can accomplish when we all work together to eradicate hunger,” said MFB President Carl Bednarski. The organization started its “For-Purpose” effort in 2022 to end childhood hunger in Michigan. “I am proud of the work of our county Farm Bureaus and Agent Charitable Fund. Remember: This is just a beginning. There’s still work to be done to end hunger.”

According to AFBF, farm and ranch families nationwide donated 25.3 million pounds of food and raised more than $1 million through the Harvest for All program. Combined, the monetary and food donations totaled the equivalent of 31.1 million meals. Farmers and ranchers also tallied 13,827 volunteer hours assisting local hunger groups in 2022.

Criteria for tracking Harvest for All donations included dollars and pounds of food donated by state and county Farm Bureaus, as well as volunteer hours, reported from the grassroots up as part of the annual campaign.

AFBF presented the awards during AFBF’s 2023 FUSION Conference, held March 3-6, in Jacksonville, Florida. Since launching Harvest for All, Farm Bureau families have collected 437 million pounds of food, logged more than 237,000 volunteer hours and raised more than $11 million in donations.