SMITHFIELD, Va., June 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Since day one, Farmland® has worked with local farm families in America's heartland to provide customers with high-quality, flavorful products they can trust and feel good about. To show appreciation for the honest work and tireless commitment, day in and day out, in Midwest farming communities, agriculture industries, and grocery/retail establishments, Farmland is launching its Honoring the Heartland Tour. The 13-week mission will honor the unsung heroes of our agri-food chain and highlight the fundamental role the heartland plays by delivering grab-n-go meals and providing monetary donations to support the next generation of farmers.
The Farmland Honoring The Heartland Tour food truck will complete two to three stops per week at various locations rooted in Midwestern neighborhoods. In addition to distributing meals, the brand will be donating to the National FFA Organization throughout the tour to assist them in their vision to grow leaders, build communities and strengthen agriculture at the local, state and national levels. The tour kicked off this past weekend with a $25,000 donation to FFA's "Living to Serve" platform, a program that empowers students to make a positive impact in their community through service engagement, and a $5,000 donation to the Missouri FFA Association. As part of the donation event in Gladstone, Mo., the Farmland food truck also supplied lunches to essential grocery store employees – a token of the brand's gratitude for courageously working during this past year to ensure neighbors still had access to fresh food.
"Localized farming and agricultural communities are the backbone of our nation's food supply, and Farmland's safe, affordable, and quality products made from pork raised on American farms are a testament to the hard work and outputs from our partners in this industry," said Erin Thacker, brand manager for Farmland. "We're excited to launch the Honoring the Heartland Tour to give back to the unsung heroes of the agricultural community who work tirelessly to keep our country fed, and to help ensure the next generation of farmers are equipped for success through our partnership with the National FFA Organization."
Supporting the future of farming and providing the next generation with the tools to succeed has been a longstanding commitment of Farmland. Farmland is proud to continue its partnership with FFA and assist in its mission of making a positive difference in the lives of students and shine a light on the agricultural industry. The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 760,000 student members as part of 8,700 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"We are thankful for Farmland's ongoing support of the National FFA Organization's mission," said Molly Ball, chief marketing officer for National FFA Organization and president for National FFA Foundation. "We're happy to join in honoring the unsung heroes of farming and agriculture, many of whom are former FFA members."
In the brand's continued efforts to give back, Farmland is proud to be an official partner of country superstar Luke Bryan's Farm Tour this fall. In its 12th year, Farm Tour is set to play on six farms from September 9 -18 as Luke and his team set up stages in the fields of local farmers. The tour serves as a way to celebrate and support local farming communities, with proceeds from the concerts going to college scholarships for students from farming families.
For more information and to see where the Honoring the Heartland Tour goes next, follow us on Facebook (@FarmlandFoods), Instagram (@farmlandfoods) or Twitter (@FarmlandFoods). Farmland is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Farmland
Founded in 1959, Farmland is the maker of high-quality, flavorful meats. Rooted in rich traditions of America's heartland, Farmland is committed to a strong work ethic, community, substance over flash, and wholesome, quality food that people feel good about serving. Farmland's robust portfolio of products includes varieties of bacon, sausage, ham and lunch meat. For more information about our products and recipe inspiration, please visit www.FarmlandFoods.com or follow us on Facebook (@FarmlandFoods), Instagram (@farmlandfoods) or Twitter (@FarmlandFoods). Farmland is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Headquartered in Smithfield, Va. since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Our 43,000 U.S. team members and 16,000 European employees are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly.®" and have made us one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our neighbors in need. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich® and Nathan's Famous®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
About National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 760,000 student members as part of 8,700 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook and Twitter.
About National FFA Foundation
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders and support the future of agricultural education. A separately registered nonprofit organization, the foundation is governed by a board of trustees that includes the national FFA president, educators, business leaders and individual donors. For more, visit FFA.org/Give.
SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc.
