Tractor Supply Launches Annual FFA Fundraiser
Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, has launched its ninth annual National Future Farmers of America Organization T-shirt fundraiser. For a limited time, customers can purchase special-edition FFA T-shirts exclusively at Tractor Supply stores nationwide and online to support FFA and its ongoing commitment to the future of agriculture.
Campaign proceeds will be distributed to FFA chapters across the country, funding agricultural programs and activities for students and alumni in support of future leaders at the National FFA Convention & Expo, to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, Nov. 1-4.
The T-shirt fundraiser has generated nearly $2.2 million in sales since the program’s inception in 2015, with 2022 marking the highest T-shirt sales to date at $412,812. Tractor Supply also proudly supports FFA and its mission through multiple annual fundraising events, such as Grants for Growing and many activities at the local level.
“We are immensely proud to announce our partnership with FFA in this year’s T-shirt campaign,” said Kimberley Gardiner, chief marketing officer of Tractor Supply. “Each shirt sold is a symbol of our long-standing commitment to empowering the future of agriculture. With every purchase, we are not only supporting FFA but also investing in the dreams and aspirations of future leaders in our community.”
The campaign will benefit four programs: the Living to Serve student community empowerment program; Alumni Legacy Grants, which provide $1,000 scholarships annually to students pursuing degrees in agricultural education’ New Farmers of America Archives aimed at promoting inclusivity and accommodating students of all races and backgrounds; and Gift of Blue, which provides funding for members who might not otherwise be able to afford their own jackets.
For more information on the fundraiser, visit TractorSupply.com/FFA and follow Tractor Supply on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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SEG Gives 1.5 Million Meals During Hunger Action Month
Winn Dixie sponsored Mobile Pantry handout at the Goodwill in New Orleans on July 26, 2021.
Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, is donating more than 1 million meals to Feeding America and an additional 500,000 meals between five of its network food banks in the Southeast to help alleviate hunger in underserved communities during Hunger Action Month.
The grocer also launched its in-store community donation program to benefit the American Red Cross’ disaster relief efforts to support people affected by disasters, big and small. The community donation program will run during peak hurricane season and following the devastating impact from Hurricane Idalia throughout the Southeast.
Raymond Rhee, chief people officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “As a grocer serving five coastal states, we have witnessed firsthand how a natural disaster’s impact can amplify the struggles faced by millions of families across the Southeast, many of whom already carry the burden of food insecurity.
“Today and every day, we are dedicated to supporting our neighbors to ensure no one faces these hardships alone. Through our ongoing partnerships with Feeding America and the American Red Cross, we turn compassion into action by nourishing and rebuilding our communities when they need us most.”
As part of its ongoing commitment to fight hunger, SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation will provide $100,000 to Feeding America, plus $50,000 in additional monetary contributions to five Feeding America food banks within the grocer’s footprint. SEG will also host five mobile food pantry events during Hunger Action Month with the following local Feeding America network food banks to provide more than 76,000 pounds of fresh produce and shelf-stable products to thousands of families and individuals who face hunger daily:
- Feeding Northeast Florida
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
- Feeding Tampa Bay
- Feeding South Florida
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana
Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month is held annually each September to raise awareness of the hunger crisis nationwide. According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 people across the United States relied on charitable food assistance at least once in 2022.
SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation remain steadfast in their commitment to help ease the burden for those struggling to put food on the table. The grocer recently donated $160,000 to eight Southeast food banks to help combat food insecurity among families during the summer months. SEG donated more than $700,000 and 14 million pounds of food to help alleviate hunger across its five-state footprint last year.
Additionally, the grocer is launching an in-store community donation program to benefit the American Red Cross in support of its mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. Customers can help equip the nonprofit by donating $1, $5 or simply rounding up their grocery bill while shopping their local Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores now through Sept. 26.
Every dollar donated through SEG’s community donation program will help support Red Cross Disaster Relief, which provides essential aid to those affected by disasters across the country, including food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance.
Last year, SEG, together with the SEG Gives Foundation and generous customers, donated more than $600,000 to support disaster relief efforts. The grocer was also recently recognized by the Northeast Florida Chapter of the Red Cross as their Community Partner of the Year. The recognition followed SEG’s vital aid response to destructive flooding in Fort Lauderdale earlier this year where local associates distributed meals and water to residents to support the community during recovery efforts.
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New Crops of Organic Potatoes Hitting Retailers
Courtesy of Organic Produce Network
Several states are digging and shipping new crops of organic potatoes, and there is potential for promotions, especially with organic russets, according to a report from the Organic Produce Network.
“We have just started to harvest field-run organic russet potatoes, and we will continue to run out of the field until the first or second week of October,” said Lonnie Gillespie, chief organic officer for Farm Fresh Direct of America in Monte Vista, Colorado. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed that by then we will be able to start shipping organic potatoes from storage. You never know what mother nature is going to do.”
Gillespie noted that while harvest is underway, potatoes can withstand normal weather patterns, but it is out-of-the-ordinary conditions that cause issues. “Extreme anything is a problem,” she said, speaking of either heat or cold. “At this time of the year, we don’t want it to be extremely cold or wet.”
But for the time being, Gillespie said the crop looks good, and Farm Fresh Direct could support some retail promotions featuring field-run organic russets. The company has a full line of organic yellows, reds, and russets available, but the yellows and reds are currently coming from the Pacific Northwest and are in lighter supply. She also noted that Farm Fresh will be offering some organic russets from Minnesota shortly.
“In the spring and early summer, we had some shortages and higher prices on all potatoes, but there is no shortage right now, and this new crop does look like it’s going to be more of an average crop,” Gillespie said.
Courtesy of Organic Produce Network
Most of the current chatter about the new crop of conventional Idaho and Eastern Oregon potatoes currently being harvested points to a larger crop and a return to more normal FOB prices, Gilliespie said, rather than the higher prices that have been part of the landscape for the past couple of years.
Nate Jones of King’s Crown Organic Farm in King Hill, Idaho, said Idaho had excellent growing weather throughout the spring, which has led to an organic potato crop that is larger than the last two years.
“We grow four different varieties,” he said, adding that their organic acreage includes russets, yellows, reds, and purples. “The Norkotah (a russet variety) produced an awesome crop of good-sized potatoes, and the yellow crop is also very good. We are getting good yields on both of those potato varieties. The reds and purples didn’t size as well, and the yields are a little bit below average.”
While the conventional acreage of potatoes across the country is up a few percentage points, Jones does not believe that there has been an uptick in organic acreage. “Organic potatoes are not a crop that you go in and out of,” he said. “There are only a handful of us that grow organics (in Idaho), and our acreage is pretty steady.”
Because of this, he said the good market for organic potatoes that has been prevalent the last two years is not going to see much of a dip. “It might come down a little bit, but organic potatoes have maintained the market pretty well into the new season.”
Eric Beck, director of marketing for Wada Farms in Pingree, Idaho, agreed that this season should offer more normal pricing, especially on conventionally grown potatoes.
“We will also have more organics, but demand for organics remains fairly strong,” he said, adding that organic potatoes don’t tend to be promoted very often. “But there could be some opportunities for promotable pricing during the year.”
While there will be more organic supplies total, Beck said there might not be enough to carry throughout the entire storage season. That good demand, he said, will create some supply challenges toward the end of the season.
Beck said the organic potato consumer is a bit different than the shoppers who mostly buy conventional potatoes and will increase their purchase when the price is lower and the value is greater. The organic buyer is typically buying the category for philosophical reasons and is not driven as much by the value proposition that potatoes typically offer.
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