Farmers Union to Donate Meals to National Guard Troops in Washington, DC
March 12, 2021
National Guard troops on duty in our nation’s capital will soon be getting fresh from the farm food. Farmers Union Enterprises (FUE), announced today it will be donating $50,000 to provide nutritious boxed meals. The meals will come from the Founding Farmers restaurants based in the Washington, D.C. area which are owned and operated by Farmers Union.
FUE is a partnership with Farmers Union organizations in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. They own several businesses in the Upper Midwest.
“Farmers are passionate about feeding people - it’s what we do best,” said Walter Schweitzer, President of Montana Farmers Union. “We are very grateful to the National Guard for protecting our capital and our democracy and I was alarmed when I heard our guard was struggling to get healthy food to eat. To show our appreciation we are proud to join our Farmers Union partners to provide the troops a nutritious meal from our farmer-owned restaurants.”
“Farmers are about feeding people,” said North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne. “They do important work, just like our troops. This is our way of thanking the Guard for their service in protecting our capitol and democracy. We hope the taste of good made-from-scratch homestyle cooking from our farmer-owned restaurants reminds them that we appreciate their sacrifice and the time they’ve spent away from their families.”
“Feeding people is what farmers do,” said Doug Sombke, Chairman of FUE, South Dakota Farmers Union President and a fourth-generation farmer. “We appreciate the National Guard protecting our Capitol and democracy. But their service takes them far from their homes and families, so, it’s our hope that a made-from-scratch meal from our farmer-owned restaurants reminds them a bit of their homes and loved ones and shows how much we appreciate their sacrifice.”
Security for our nation is not just about soldiers and weapons, it is also about having food security. During the last year we have experienced food insecurity. Sixty years of a cheap food policy, which is about corporate control of our food dollar, has demonstrated vulnerabilities in our food supply chain. Schweitzer added “People should not have seen empty meat counters, rationed milk and produce when farmers were forced to euthanize livestock, dump milk and plow in vegetables. It is past time to focus on developing a more resilient food system. We need to redevelop a robust regionalized food system.” America needs to get back to growing food locally and preparing food to be eaten locally; this would lead to more food resiliency.
FUE is a partnership with Farmers Union organizations in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. They own several businesses in the Upper Midwest.
Dan Simons, manager of Founding Farmers and Farmers Restaurant Group, said lunch and dinner meals will be delivered next week to the National Guard for distribution through their food service network.
“Heart. Generosity. Farming. Security. Service. The ingredients in this recipe are amazing on their own and even more remarkable together,” he said. “My team and I are honored to be able to provide delish meals to those who serve and protect each and every day, and have sincere gratitude to our farmer-owners for their generosity with funding this mission.”
Anyone wishing to donate to this humanitarian effort can do so online through the Montana Farmers Union Foundation at https://foodsecurityforus.com/montana-farmers-union-foundation/.
Source: Montana Farmers Union & North Dakota Farmers Union & South Dakota Farmers Union
