North Dakota Ag Connection - Sweet Corn Yields Record Amount for Hunger Free N.D.

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Sweet Corn Yields Record Amount for Hunger Free N.D.
North Dakota Ag Connection - 08/30/2016

The recent harvest of a three-acre sweet corn plot at Lincoln-Oakes Nurseries netted approximately 37,162 pounds of produce designated for the Hunger Free ND Garden Project. The produce was donated to the Great Plains Food Bank for distribution across the state; as well as direct donations to organizations located in and around Bismarck/Mandan.

"This year's total doubles the amount picked and donated last year," Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. "I'm thankful to our partners, sponsors and numerous volunteers who came out in force to make this contribution to the Hunger Free ND Garden Project."

With a yearly goal of 250,000 pounds of fresh produce wanted for the program, gardeners across the state are invited to donate extra fruits and vegetables from their harvest this year to help meet the needs of hungry North Dakotans.

Goehring said information about the Hunger Free ND Garden Project, including drop-off points for garden-grown produce is available on the North Dakota Department of Agriculture website, www.nd.gov/ndda.

The Hunger Free ND Garden Program was started in 2010 through the local foods initiative of the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) in partnership with the Great Plains Food Bank. The statewide program encourages home gardeners and commercial growers to plant extra produce each year for donation to charitable organizations across the state. Since its inception, the program has recorded over 1.4 million pounds of fresh produce donations.

Sweet corn plot partners include: Lincoln-Oakes Nurseries, the Great Plains Food Bank, Missouri Valley Ag, 4-H and North Dakota FFA.

Volunteer groups helping with the harvest include: NDSU Master Gardener Program, Mandan FFA, Dakota Center for Independent Living, NDSU Extension Service, St. Anthony 4-H, North Dakota FFA, Community Options, Century High School, North Dakota Tourism, Boy Scout Troop 123, the University of Mary, the LDS Church and Missionaries, United Tribes Technical College and USDA Rural Development.

Additional sponsors helping make the harvest event possible were: Spiffy Biffs, Cloverdale, Morton County 4-H, Royse's Twin City Produce, United Printing, USDA-ARS-PA Northern Great Plains Research Lab, Sara Lee/Bimbo Bakeries, Bismarck Parks & Rec, Farm Credit Services of Mandan and Northern Plains Potato Growers Association.

Other partners in the program include: NDSU Extension Service, NDSU Master Gardeners, North Dakota FFA, Dakota College at Bottineau ~ Entrepreneurial Center for Horticulture, Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society, The North Dakota Farmers Market and Growers Association, Healthy North Dakota, Creating a Hunger Free ND Coalition and Pride of Dakota.

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