Agtegra Cooperative Announces Donations to North Dakota and South Dakota Area Food Shelves and Pantries

Agtegra Cooperative has announced donations totaling $80,000 to North Dakota and South Dakota area food pantries throughout the Agtegra trade area.

According to statistics from Feeding South Dakota, one out of every eight individuals is food insecure, meaning they lack resources to access sufficient amounts of nutritious food. With 14.6% of individuals at or below the poverty line and one out of every six children at risk of going hungry, hunger and insufficient food presents a widespread need.

“Food shelves and pantries are critical to supporting our neighbors in all the communities where we have members,” said Chris Pearson. “The Agtegra Board Members believe very strongly in giving back to their communities and doing what we can to provide support and additional resources. This is an important initiative to them.”

Agtegra identified community- or county- based food shelf organizations throughout the Agtegra trade area and distributed $40,000 to those organizations in February 2021. Through a hunger match program from Land O’Lakes Foundation, the Agtegra donation will be matched with an additional $40,000, bringing the total donation to area food shelves to $80,000.

“We realize this is a significant donation, but this also is a significant need,” said Pearson. “We all have a responsibility to do our part. As a member-owned organization, it’s in our DNA to do all that we can to support our members and the communities they represent.”

Pearson added that among agribusiness organizations, member-owned cooperatives play a unique role in their rural communities.

“Very few agriculture industry organizations are able to commit to supporting local communities the way cooperatives can,” Pearson said. “Because we are local and focused on returning earnings to our members and local communities, we can help address very local needs in very meaningful ways, and we’re honored to be helpful where we can.”