It's a "WRAP"
Are you wrapping those Christmas gifts? How about your "egg-stra" special gifts? Maybe it's a clever kitchen gadget – the kind that helps you make the perfect muffin-ready breakfast egg. Oh, there are so many fun and unique chicken and egg-themed novelty gifts on the market. There is truly something unique for every egg-lover.
Giving great gifts is one of the things that makes Christmas so exciting and so much fun. But this time of year, some gifts go beyond pleasure. The poultry industry has long been a leader in gift-giving to communities and causes that most need the gift of food during the holidays. This year is no exception.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that more than 41 million U.S. citizens struggle with food insecurity or hunger across the U.S., with 11-million of them being children. Many poultry farms and companies generously join efforts to help quell hunger, especially during these difficult times.
Within two weeks, Miller Poultry, located in Orland, Indiana, donated 13,000 pounds of poultry products to food banks. Maple Leaf Farms has recently donated 25 tons of poultry products to food banks.
That gift-giving tradition is not new to many of these companies. For instance, in the past 20 years, Perdue Farms has partnered with food banks delivering more than 80-million pounds of protein to food banks in communities across the country. These are gifts that may be more appreciated than those we wrap and place under a tree.
But as we look to these ag industry entities' generosity, let us recall where the tradition of holiday gift-giving originates. It is a tradition that goes back to the first Christmas story when three kings brought gifts to a newborn baby. The gifts were as precious and rare as their recipient. And from this tradition, our tradition of gift-giving has evolved.
As we warmly welcome loved ones, as we send greetings and gifts far and wide to those with whom we cannot join in person this year, let us take a moment for gratitude. We appreciate every one of our customers and the farmers who make feeding so many around the world possible each and every day. They are a gift that keeps giving.
---
Merry Christmas from Summit Engineering and Construction.