Northwest Egg Producers Part of 12 Million Egg Giveaway
United Egg Producers and America's Second Harvest Team Up to Feed the Hungry
Seattle, WA, Mar. 11, 2008 - Egg farmers of the Pacific Northwest are giving the Easter Bunny a run for his money this year. Through a national effort by America's egg farmers, more than 12 million eggs are being donated this month to America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network to help millions of hungry families. Local farmers from the region, including Dynes and Broadview Farms, National Food Corporation, Nest Best Egg Company, Stiebrs Farms, Inc., Wilcox Family Farms and Willamette Egg Farms, LLC are personally responsible for more than 600,000 eggs flooding food banks throughout the Northwest region to help meet the increasing demand for high-quality protein at the local level.
"As part of The Northwest Egg Producers and the more than 4,000 employees and family members involved in supplying the surrounding communities with eggs we are proud to be partnering with Food Lifeline to provide much needed protein to the most needy in our community, especially during the Easter holiday season," said Kathleen Sparks of Nest Best Egg Company and a member of The Northwest Egg Producers. "As a cooperative of egg farmers made up of third- and fourth-generation family farmers throughout the Pacific Northwest, we share a very personal understanding for the many communities we serve and their increased needs."
The impact of The Northwest Egg Producers will be felt across multiple states throughout the region when the more than 600,000 eggs will be distributed to the Food Banks of the Pacific Northwest including Food Lifeline, Oregon Food Bank, Second Harvest Inland Northwest and Montana Food Bank Network.
"To be able to provide sources of protein to our families is important but really difficult," said Linda Nageotte, President and CEO of Food Lifeline. "Protein is especially important since 37 percent of those served by Food Lifeline are children under 18."
Food Lifeline is Washington's largest hunger relief agency and annually distributes nearly 22 million pounds of food to more than half a million people through its network of 300 member food banks, meal programs and shelters that feed the hungry in the 17 counties of Western Washington.
"Seeing the increasing need within their communities, the families of our industry came together to make sure America's food banks are well stocked with nutrient dense eggs for the holiday season," said Gene Gregory, president of the United Egg Producers.
With each egg containing 13 essential nutrients - including the highest quality protein, choline, folate, iron and zinc - for only 75 calories, the more than 12 million eggs donated comes at a time when food banks are struggling with low inventories, while facing a sharp increase in demand for emergency food.
"We are extremely grateful to America's egg farmers for their significant donation of more than 12 million eggs to our food bank members across the nation," said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network. "Protein is always the hardest food category for our food banks to acquire and a donation of this magnitude will go a long way in helping the more than 25 million Americans we serve who are living on the edge of hunger."
About Food Lifeline
Food Lifeline is Washington's largest hunger relief organization, distributing food to 300 neighborhood food banks, shelters and hot meal programs in Western Washington. Each year, Food Lifeline feeds over half a million hungry people - 37 percent of whom are children. Food Lifeline is a member of America's Second Harvest, the Nation's Food Bank Network, the largest hunger relief organization in the United States. Only five percent of every financial donation is used for administrative costs and the return on investment is significant: for every $1 donated Food Lifeline provides 5 meals to hungry people. Please visit www.foodlifeline.org.
About United Egg Producers
United Egg Producers (UEP) is the nation's leading trade association for U.S. egg farmers, representing 97 percent of U.S. egg farmers, whose members produce eggs including modern cage production, cage-free, free range, organic and other specialty eggs. UEP is based in Alpharetta, GA. To learn more about the egg industry visit www.uepcertified.com.
Nest Best Egg Company
Nest Best Egg Company is the marketing division of Valley Fresh Foods, Inc. for our farms located in Woodburn, Oregon and Rochester, Washington. The Nest Best Egg Company is a fully integrated egg production company with their own feed mills, nutrition control, flock acquisition and care, processing, distribution and marketing. Since their beginning, in the Northwest in 1962, it has been the company's vision to operate each facility at a superior level, to monitor every aspect of production and processing to ensure the best quality egg in the industry. Nest Best Egg Company has grown, in 46 years in the Northwest to employ 150 individuals who provide the highest quality care for their hens and the eggs they produce.
Willamette Egg Farms, LLC
Willamette Egg Farms has been owned and operated by the same family for 74 years. Our original home farm is near Canby, OR with other farms near Medford, OR and Moses Lake, WA. We produce and market shell eggs and egg products mainly for Oregon, Washington, California and Hawaii with some national and export sales. This is accomplished with the help of more than 200 greatly appreciated employees.
National Food Corporation
After working in their father's egg business for many years, Jerry and Vince Bookey started their own company, Northwest Egg Sales in 1956. They originally graded and distributed eggs purchased from local farmers, and then established their own production farms known as Cherry Lane Farms. Those activities grew over the years to become the current National Food Corporation, a fully integrated egg production and marketing company with its own feed mills, pullet farms, layer farms, shell egg grading plants, further processing plants and distribution facilities. Bookey family members still own and operate the company, with third and fourth generation egg producers playing an active role in operations and management.
Dynes & Broadview Farms
Founded in 1948, Dynes & Broadview Farms is now a fourth generation family business supplying eggs throughout the state of Washington.
Wilcox Family Farms
Since 1909 Wilcox Family Farms has been farming in the shadow of T. Rainier. Wilcox is a fourth generation, family-run business dedicated to producing incredibly local and fresh egg products. Wilcox Farms has a commitment to sustainable farming to preserve the beauty and quality of the land today and into the future. We have partnerships with the Nisqually Tribe, Salmon Safe and the Nisqually River Counsel. We have made great strides in our Organic and Free-range eggs.
Stiebrs Farms, Inc.
Stiebrs Farms began as the American dream of Latvian immigrants Jan and Zelma Stiebrs, who purchased 100 hens with the idea of selling fresh eggs in 1953. The business began by selling eggs door-to-door to friends and neighbors in Puyallup, Washington. The Yelm, Washington-based farm is still a family owned and operated company and now distributes its eggs throughout the Northwest. Stiebrs Farms produces a full line of egg products that are grown locally on its own farm in Yelm.
Contact Information
Tasha Fekeshazy, Marketing Coordinator
206.545.6600 x265
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