Farm Bureau‘s “Harvest for All” program raised more than $1.1 million and a record of 48 million pounds of food this year.  Both monetary and food donations combined mean a grand total of 49 million meals will be served to hungry Americans.

The program, run by the Young Farmers & Ranchers program, is now in its 14th year.  Along with AFBF, 19 state Farm Bureaus worked together to raise the food and funds and logged almost 16,000 volunteer hours.

“We’re pleased to continue Farm Bureau’s long tradition of helping nourish those who need help the most,” said Cole Coxbill, a rancher and crop farmer from Wyoming who chairs the AFBF YF&R committee.  “More than 50 percent of Americans that struggle with hunger live in rural areas and farming communities.  Through the coordinated efforts of America’s farmers and ranchers and Harvest for All, we’re helping to lower that statistic.”

The California Farm Bureau took top honors for donating the most food in 2015, 17.5 million pounds. Illinois Farm Bureau raised the most money, $998,000. Illinois Farm Bureau also tallied the most volunteer hours, 5,675. Thanks to the generosity of Chevrolet, each of those state organizations received a $1,250 grant to donate to a local food bank of their choice or for another Harvest for All project.

Second-place winners were the Florida Farm Bureau for food donated at 16 million pounds; Michigan Farm Bureau for donated funds at $32,600; and Florida Farm Bureau for volunteer time at 4,975. Each of the second-place winners received a $750 grant from Chevrolet to donate to the local food bank of their choice.

In addition, three state YF&R committees received $500 grants from Chevrolet for “most innovative” programs. Those winners were California, Illinois and North Carolina.

Farm Bureau considers the program to be one of their most important.  Many Americans are still struggling to feed their families, despite the improvement in the economy.