Donate much-needed milk to Utah food pantries via Lee's Marketplace
Sept. 12 and Sept. 19
SALT LAKE CITY (Sept. 10, 2018) -- September is Hunger Action Month,
and for the fifth consecutive year Lee's Marketplace is taking part in
the Great American Milk Drive to help thwart food insecurity and
malnutrition in Utah.
Known as "the milk store," Lee's Marketplace discounts milk on
Wednesdays. This month its five stores are partnering with Dairy West
on Sept. 12 and Sept. 19 to provide customers with an easy,
inexpensive way to donate a gallon to local food pantries. Like in
previous years, local milk processors and co-ops, Gossner Foods, and
Dairy Farmers of America will match donations.
Dairy West CEO Karianne Fallow says efforts like the Lee's Marketplace
milk drive make a huge difference in the lives of low-income families.
"There's a huge milk gap in our country," Fallow says. "Feeding
America reports that on average people served by food banks receive
the equivalent of less than 1 gallon per person per year. And today,
one in seven Americans relies on food banks for nutritional
assistance."
She says while it's easy for people to donate canned and dry goods,
fresh milk is much harder to donate because it's perishable. Thus,
even though food pantries report milk is one of the most requested
items, it's difficult for them to meet the demand.
Meanwhile, Fallow says the health benefits of milk and dairy foods are
well documented. "Dairy foods contain nine essential nutrients, they
can help you recover faster from physical activity, and they may help
you better manage your weight and reduce your risk for high blood
pressure, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease," she says. "Dairy
foods are very affordable, too. In fact, you can enjoy three servings
of milk for less than $1 a day."
Food pantries nearest Lee's Marketplace locations will benefit from
the milk drive. Donations at its Smithfield and Logan stores will
benefit Cache Community Food Pantry, and gifts at its Ogden store will
assist Catholic Community Services. Contributions at Lee's
Marketplaces in Heber and North Salt Lake will aid Christian Center of
Park City and Bountiful Food Pantry, respectively.
ABOUT LEE'S MARKETPLACE
Lee and Shari Badger founded Lee's Marketplace in 1994, but its
origins date back to 1981 when they purchased a small grocery store in
Smithfield called Jack's Foodtown. Now in five locations throughout
North Central Utah, Lee's Marketplace still offers the quality,
freshness, and made-from-scratch promise it is renowned for. Visit
LeesMarketplace.com for more details.
ABOUT DAIRY WEST
Dairy West is a regional dairy promotion organization established in
2017 to represent dairy farmers, processors, and supply chain partners
in Idaho and Utah. A Qualified Program regulated by the USDA National
Dairy Promotion & Research Board, the 501(c)(6) organization raises
awareness of the importance of dairy farming, promotes the health and
nutritional benefits of dairy foods, and encourages global demand for
Western U.S. dairy foods through coordinated marketing and
communications efforts, nutrition counseling, and research programs.
Visit DairyWest.com for more details.
===================
USDA Partners with Communities to Support Opioid Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Opportunities in Rural America
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2018 – Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is partnering with rural communities in 22 states to support opportunities for opioid prevention, treatment and recovery (PDF, 162 KB).
“With its impact on workforce, quality of life and the economic vitality of rural communities from Maine to California, the opioid epidemic is more than just a matter of public health – it is an issue of rural prosperity,” Hazlett said. “Under the leadership of President Trump, USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities in planning and building local responses to this monumental challenge.”
USDA is investing $10.7 million in 85 projects in 22 states through the Community Facilities program. Below are some of the projects USDA is supporting:
Hazlett announced that USDA is making investments today in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont and Wisconsin.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
