Driving away hunger across Canada

October 11, 2005 – Whether it’s driving a tractor to collect food across New Brunswick and Saskatchewan or serving breakfast to school children, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) employees and communities across the country are driving away hunger in recognition of World Food Day.

“Our employees and customers across Canada are passionate about reducing hunger,” says Clem Samson, FCC Vice-President Prairie Operations. “We want to ensure that people in small communities have enough food for their families. Hunger is not just an urban problem.”

World Food Day is observed on October 16 each year to motivate the public to help address the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty. For more information about World Food Day, log on to www.fao.org.

Drive Away Hunger tours in Eastern and Western Canada are the heart of FCC’s World Food Day activities. Rene Belanger, District Manager for New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador will drive a tractor and trailer from Grand Falls to Moncton collecting food donations October 11 to 14. Paul Lepage, Account Manager in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, will be driving from North Battleford to Saskatoon gathering donations from October 17 to 21 for local food banks. Together they hope to collect 30,000 pounds of food or dollars from their communities for local food banks.

In addition to the tours, FCC employees are organizing more than 20 activities across Canada to assist meal programs and local food banks. These include:

• the Corporate Office Challenge in Regina, Saskatchewan;
• the World’s Longest BBQ in Camrose, Alberta;
• partnering with Gencor and The Meat Factory in Ontario to distribute processed beef to food banks;
• ‘Le Club des petits déjeuners’ in Quebec that will provide healthy breakfasts to children;
• and volunteer activities at local food banks, soup kitchens and schools across Canada.

In addition, FCC is donating $25,000 to the Canadian Association of Food Banks in support of the National Food Sharing System (NFSS). The NFSS ensures equitable distribution of food among member food banks across Canada.

FCC is Canada's largest provider of business and financial solutions to Canadian farms and agribusiness. Operating out of 100 offices located primarily in rural Canada, the corporation's employees are passionate about the business of agriculture. FCC's healthy portfolio of more than 
$11 billion and 12 consecutive years of portfolio growth are a reflection of our customers' success.

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For more information, please contact:
 
Melanie Lightfoot
Farm Credit Canada (English)
Communication Consultant
(306) 780-6987

Mireille Bilodeau VongPhit
Farm Credit Canada (Bilingual)
Communication Consultant
(306) 780-8630