Help NFU Fight Hunger

NFU is teaming up with Invest An Acre in 2016 to address hunger in rural communities. Read more below on the issue, the Invest an Acre initiative, and what you can do to help!




Hunger in the U.S.A.


In 2014, 48.1 million Americans lived in food-insecure (defined by a questionnaire that determines limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods) households. Food insecurity in the U.S. adds $160 billion to national health expenditures every year. Hunger and food insecurity have a tremendous toll on people in all communities. In the agriculture sector, we often think of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as 79 percent of farm bill spending, but it is only 3 percent of the share of all federal spending.

The Great Recession pushed the number of food-insecure Americans to record highs. At the same time that 48 million Americans had inadequate access to food, the 2014 Agricultural Act made further cuts on SNAP and the threats to the program will likely continue well into the next farm bill debate.

With an expansion of need and a contraction of programmatic funds, the private sector has worked to expand services to address hunger. Rural communities generally face higher rates of food insecurity than urban households (Feeding America, Map the Meal Gap) and are often collocated in farm communities. Seventeen percent of rural households are food insecure.

 

Feeding America's Invest An Acre


  • Feeding America is the largest domestic hunger relief organization, and they serve your community through a nationwide network of food banks, providing 3 billion meals each year across the U.S.
  • Feeding America created Invest An Acre to encourage farmers to donate a portion of their proceeds to provide food to their neighbors in need in rural communities.
  • Monsanto matches every dollar donated by farmers.
  • NFU and its members have contributed nearly $200,000 to various hunger relief initiatives through Feeding America, local food banks, and the Invest An Acre program.

How you can help



Let us hear about your donation experience - email [email protected] with details!


Donate by check:

Feeding America Attn:

Invest An Acre Manager

35 E Wacker Drive, Suite 2000

Chicago, IL 60601


Donate directly to your local food bank

(no match by Feeding America)


We look forward to working with you to address hunger in your communities!