ST. LOUIS (Aug. 15, 2018) –  To combat food insecurity in rural Missouri, Monsanto Company will donate $50,000 this weekend to the Missouri Farmers Care (MFC) Drive to Feed Kids for its efforts to combat food insecurity and childhood hunger in the state. On Saturday, Aug.18, company representatives will attend a special donation ceremony at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Mo.

MFC, which promotes the continued growth of Missouri agriculture and rural communities through coordinated communication, education and advocacy, launched its Drive to Feed Kids program in 2017 in partnership with Missouri FFA. This is the second year Monsanto, alongside other agriculture organizations, has sponsored the initiative.

Feeding America estimates that more than 240,000 Missouri children struggle with hunger daily. Of the counties with the highest rates of food insecurity, most are rural where it is estimated that one-in-three children are hungry.

“When you think about the face of hunger, many may find it hard to believe that its picture can be seen in our farming communities,” said Lisa Safarian, Monsanto North America Lead. “Our support of the Missouri Farmers Care Drive to Feed Kids program aligns with our company’s commitment of providing farmers with the necessary tools needed to feed families around the world, and giving back to the communities where our employees and customers live and work.”

On Tuesday, Aug. 14, employee volunteers from Monsanto’s St. Louis and Marshall locations participated in the Missouri FFA Food Insecurity Day at the Missouri State Fair. They, along with several hundred FFA student volunteers, packed 100,000 nutritious kid-friendly meals that will be distributed by Feeding Missouri to six regional food banks within the state.

“More than 680 FFA students came together to help raise awareness about food insecurity in the state of Missouri and to highlight the great job Missouri farmers and ranchers do in providing us with safe, wholesome food,” said Alan Wessler, D.V.M., Missouri Farmers Care Chairman. “The Drive to Feed Kids event wouldn’t be possible without partnering with Missouri State Fair, FFA, and Feeding Missouri, and the support of sponsors like Monsanto, who identify with the cause and want to be a part of the solution. We thank them for their continued support in ensuring young children across the state have access to safe, nutritious meals.”    

To learn more about Drive to Feed Kids, visit www.mofarmerscare.com.

About Monsanto Company

Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops – such as corn, soybeans, and cotton – that help farmers have better harvests while using water and other important resources more efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. To learn more about Monsanto, our commitments and our more than 20,000 dedicated employees, please visit monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter^® at twitter.com/MonsantoCo.