Above photo: A tanker full of milk backs up to a storage lagoon at Golden E Dairy in West Bend dumps the milk into the lagoon on April 1, 2020. Golden E was one of several farms through Dairy Farmers of America that was asked to dump milk in the midst of COVID-19. Kimberly Elbe.
Milwaukee, WI – The Hunger Task Force is joining forces with several other Wisconsin organizations to help the underfed and the unemployed during the coronavirus pandemic.
They are partnering with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection to recover and distribute Wisconsin milk across Wisconsin.
Some dairy farmers were dumping their milk as demand fell. A large portion of the dairy industry’s demand comes from schools and the food industry.
In a press release sent early Wednesday morning, the Hunger Task Force said it will commit up to $1 million to the Wisconsin Dairy Recovery. The money will be used to buy it back from dairy farmers and supply it to those in need.
The dairy products will be distributed to Free & Local partner food banks and food pantries through the Hunger Relief Federation of Wisconsin, a statewide association that supports food distribution in local communities.
“We’re proud to organize this new partnership with our friends at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection” said Hunger Task Force Executive Director Sherrie Tussler. “The Wisconsin Dairy Recovery Partnership is the current best solution to feed the hungry while supporting Wisconsin dairy farmers and producers in these difficult and uncertain times.”
Hunger Task Force is Wisconsin’s leading anti-hunger organization, serving 50,000 people each month, nearly 40 percent of whom are children.