Agricultural News
Oklahoma Pork Council Joins Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort
Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:59:56 CST
After seeing the needs of the people affected by the northeast coast's largest Atlantic hurricane on record, the Oklahoma Pork Council jumped at the opportunity to provide help and support.
The Pork Checkoff program's event trailer traveled to the East Coast last week to assist in feeding victims of Hurricane Sandy. To help with the relief effort, okPORK sent not only monetary support but also volunteer support. Kristin Alsup, a communications specialist at okPORK, spent three days with a volunteer crew cooking and serving food in Brick, N.J.
"The event trailer, a mobile kitchen equipped with grills and cooking supplies, traveled to New Jersey to offer assistance serving pork products to those in need," said Conley Nelson president of the National Pork Board. "This is just another way pork producers demonstrate that they care for people and their communities."
Producers spent the first two days serving pork loins and brat patties at the Ocean County YMCA in Tom's River, N.J. The remainder of the week was spent in collaboration with Operation BBQ Relief at the Brick Township Police Athletic League in Brick, N.J. A total of 9,000 servings - 200 boneless loins, 306 boneless half loins, 64 cases of brat patties and two cases of Italian sausage grillers - were distributed over the course of the week to New Jersey residents. Extra pork product was donated to Operation BBQ Relief for continued distribution in Brick, N.J.
Although 24 states have been impacted by the storm, the hurricane hit New York and New Jersey especially hard, where it flooded numerous streets, tunnels and subway lines, plus cut off electricity to parts of the city and its suburbs. In response, pork producers from several states contributed to help feed those impacted by the storm.
Seven other states' pork councils donated assistance through monetary support - California, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota and Utah. Five other states' councils provided support by sending volunteers, including Iowa, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania and South Dakota.
Industry partners Smithfield Foods, Johnsonville and Hatfield Brands offered support through product donations. Smithfield donated 2,000 pounds of pork loin; Johnsonville contributed 8,000 pork patties; and Hatfield supplied 51 cases of boneless half loins and seven cases of sausage grillers, totaling 2,365 pounds.
"The Pork Checkoff and America's pork producers are grateful for these contributions, which made the relief effort a success," said Nelson. "This was a great opportunity for producers to give back to those on the East Coast who were hit hard by the hurricane."
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
