Viterra/Foodgrains Bank collaborate on ‘land’ deal

Viterra and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank are continually working together to help the hungry.

“Viterra has a mandate to utilize land owned by the corporation to feed hungry people around the world in conjunction with the Canadian Food Grains Bank,” Ryan Mercer, a member of Mercer Seeds Ltd, said.

Mercer says that Viterra donates land to local farmers, who farm it and then donate the proceeds from their harvest to Canadian Foodgrains Bank projects. Local farmer Les Bolstad is one of the farmers who have agreed to farm land donated by Viterra

“We have begun preparing land to be farmed again next season as poverty and malnutrition continues to be a huge concern for farmers in this community,” Mercer said.

Mercer says that the land Viterra donates to various local farmers will yield various cereal, pulse and oilseed crops grown in a rotation that will produce the highest yield and quality in an environmentally sustainable production system.

“These projects have brought friends and neighbors together with the common goal of feeding hungry people around the world,” Mercer said.

Mercer attributes his working with Canadian Foodgrains Bank to growing up in a Christian family, where he has been taught since childhood to be eager to share his many blessings given to those in need here in our community and around the world. Those same Christian values are a hallmark part of the values that Mercer Seeds holds strong to today.

“The Canadian Food Grains Bank is a true testament of the values and genuine Christian concern of western Canadian farmers as this organization continues to expand and have an increasing impact on world poverty,” Mercer said.