The local CNH plant – which manufactures Case IH and New Holland agricultural equipment, and CASE construction equipment – has established a philanthropic goal of “feeding our own backyard.” This goal has come to fruition in an impactful way during the 2024 growing season. CNH, Farm in the Dell of the Red River Valley, and the Great Plains Food Bank have partnered together to grow fresh produce for our local communities.
The three organizations have worked together to grow one acre of sweet corn and one acre of potatoes – produce items that were determined by the partnering organizations to have a high impact on local families and that would work well with Farm in the Dell’s and the Great Plains Food Bank’s needs and distribution models.
Throughout the growing season, a portion of the produce was distributed and sold to Farm in the Dell shareholders and customers, supporting their mission of employing individuals with disabilities. The other portion of the produce has been distributed through the Great Plains Food Bank to provide food to our neighbors facing food insecurity, supporting their mission of ending hunger, together.
“It has been a true pleasure to deepen our partnership with Case and foster new relationships with Farm in the Dell,” shares Stephanie Erickson, Great Plains Food Bank’s Food Resource Department Manager. “Our pantry partners appreciate having access to high-quality produce as it helps our neighbors get nutritious, essential foods they require to thrive. However, fresh produce is often challenging to source. Thanks to this collaboration, fresh corn and potatoes will be included in pop-up markets, mobile pantries, and soup kitchens that our neighbors can visit. Witnessing our community unite to plant, grow, and harvest has been inspiring and I look forward to the continuation of this relationship.”
To launch the harvest season, CNH, Farm in the Dell, and the Great Plains Food Bank engaged in a Harvest Day event on Thursday, September 4 to pull items from the field, get them ready for distribution, and transport them to necessary distribution sites. This was such a fruitful day that allowed the mission of all three organizations to align in a meaningful way. The remainder of the crops were harvested by Farm in the Dell’s Garden Engineers, their employees with disabilities. After the final harvest and produce distribution, 3,779 pounds of potatoes and 4,147 pounds of corn were donated to the Great Plains Food Bank – equaling 7,926 total pounds of produce.
Because all three organizations know that our community is at the heart of the work we do, we are thrilled to be able to enter into partnerships that allow us to give back and share the love that we are shown by our community each and every day!
