United Grain Growers has donated roughly $38,000 worth of canola seed to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
Three varieties of Proven Seed canola will be made available to groups that each year harvest a crop and donate it to the foodgrains bank to assist hungry people in developing nations.
Last year there were 50 such growing projects across Western Canada, covering close to 7,000 acres.
Russ Jeffrey, marketing manager for UGG, said he hopes the seed donation will provide some much-deserved publicity to the efforts of the foodgrains bank.
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“We hope it will increase the awareness of this very worthwhile program and encourage our many partners and competitors in the crop input business to seriously consider similar donations,” Jeffrey said in a press release.
The company has offered free seed for 20 local growing projects of up to 160 acres in size. It will be up to local groups to request the seed by getting in touch with their local UGG representative.
Trish Jordan, director of resources with the foodgrains bank, said while this is the first major corporate donation of seed, there is a long-standing tradition of donations of fertilizer, chemicals, machinery and seed, generally from local suppliers. At least one grain company has also waived elevator handling charges for the foodgrains bank.
“On the Prairies, the majority of inputs are donated,” Jordan said in an interview.
She said the organization encourages other agribusinesses to make similar donations of goods and services. Not only is it a “feel-good” project for the company involved, but there are concrete benefits to those who need help.
“The end result is that more hungry people are fed because the proceeds from the entire crop can be shared.”
