Riverside FFA members take a break from preparing meals to accept a certificate recognizing their participation in the Zoetis Industry Support Program. Photo courtesy of Lacey and Nicholas Berger.
Harvest season often leaves farmers with little time for a hot meal. For the last six years, Riverside FFA members have hosted a “Feed the Farmer” event in October to ensure those in their Nebraska community were well-fed during harvest.
“It’s hard for farmers to get out of the field,” says Riverside FFA Chapter President Nicholas Berger. “If they go home and eat, they’re taking time out of the day when they could be running the combine.”
So, the chapter meets farmers where they’re at — the local co-op — and provides a meal when they deliver grain or weigh their trucks. Farmers can grab a box on the go or take a break and eat on-site.
“We’re a combined school, so we try to have a site in Cedar Rapids and Spalding, so we’re serving both our communities,” Nicholas Berger adds.
The annual event is made possible thanks to the chapter’s partnership with Spalding Animal Clinic and the Zoetis Industry Support Program. Members prepare at least 100 meals, which include sloppy joes, hot dogs, a bag of chips, a beverage and a sweet treat, for both co-op locations.
“We start planning at the Chapter Officer Leadership Training (COLT) conference put on by our state FFA officers [during the summer],” Nicholas Berger says. “Then, two to three weeks before the event, we are in ‘go mode’ getting all the food ready.”
Event Planning, Too
Riverside FFA advisor Lacey Berger says the school’s agricultural leadership class is also involved in planning the student-led event. The class creates the budget and searches for the best prices, comparing costs and deciding whether it’s more costeffective to buy through the school kitchen, the nearby Sam’s Club or local grocery stores.
The hardest part of planning the event, Lacey Berger adds, is coordinating dates with the co-ops, as they also host “Feed the Farmer” events. However, she credits strong relationships and student outreach for making it work.
“We have an excellent relationship with the co-ops and students have relatives who work there, so it makes it easy to communicate with them,” she says. “I have students call and reach out because the co-ops appreciate hearing from them, and not all students talk on the phone on a regular basis. This gives them a chance to practice communication skills.”
The Spalding Animal Clinic also formally presents the Zoetis Industry Support Program certificate during the event, and the gathering helps students to hear directly from agricultural producers.
“They don’t always have the time to sit down with students,” Lacey Berger adds. “This creates an opportunity for conversations about what is going on in agriculture.”
Cultivate Connections
Local engagement programs connect FFA chapters and their communities through blue jacket programs, grants, scholarships and additional forms of financial assistance. Learn how you can collaborate with agricultural retailers, equipment dealers, restaurants, manufacturers and more.
