The Brownfield Grow project for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank had excellent results despite the challenges of this past year like no other.
In all, just under $115,000 was raised to help the world’s hungry. When programmed and delivered through the Foodgrains partner agencies, that will translate into between $300,000 and $400,000 worth of projects around the world in the hungriest of places.
Encouraged by partnering churches Westview Baptist in Calgary and Lorne Park Baptist in Mississauga, Ontario, and with continued support from individuals and a family trust, grain and cattle producers in Brownfield and area do their part and raise cattle and crops to make this ongoing partnership work.
“It is amazing to me to see the commitment of our farmers and our funding partners through good times and bad,” says project coordinator Bob Webber. “Our partners started off providing rent money and money for inputs when we ran a combined community project. When we had to separate into plots on individual farms because of the risk of crop disease contamination, we wondered as a committee how it would go.
“The partners decided to continue to donate the land rent and inputs and the farmers donate profit from the grain and cattle so it is the same effect as it was before. It’s amazing.
“When you think what has been done for the world’s hungry from this project in one small community, averaging $90,000 per year and providing matched programming from $3 million to $4.5 million over that time it is quite remarkable,” says Webber, “But those results come from the hard work of a great number of different people: from our farmers, our partners, our delivery partner CBM and the amazing work of the 17 church and partner organizations of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
“It also includes the support of the Government of Canada - it’s a whole lot of people, working together for a common goal that makes this work.”
The grou is currently looking to grow the project with 10 grain growers who commit to grow 10 acres for the project and three ranchers who would manage two cows for the project. If you are interested, please contact Jordan at 403-575-7222.
You can learn more about the project and hear first hand accounts from producers in our just-released video at www.brownfieldchurch.ca/grow.
There is also excellent information available from The Canadian Foodgrains bank at foodgrainsbank.ca.
-Submitted