HAMILTON — Seven family-owned farms in Michigan donated more than 3 million eggs to food pantries, ministries, food drive events and families in 2020.
The egg farms are members of Michigan Allied Poultry Industries (MAPI), which announced Tuesday, March 30, a total of 3,022,260 eggs were donated.
Even at the height of the pandemic, the farms continued to help local organizations, donating eggs and selling them at reduced cost to nonprofits and food pantries.
“Michigan’s family egg farms are incredibly generous and continue to be invested in their communities, making sure as many people as possible have access to healthy, local protein,” said MAPI Executive Director Allison Brink.
Three farms in Holland made up a portion of total donations.
Contributing farms included DeWeerdt Poultry Farm of Holland, Farm Crest Foods of Huron County, Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch of Saranac, Schipper Eggs of Holland, Sunrise Acres Egg Farm of Hudsonville, VandeBunte Eggs of Martin and Zoet Poultry of Holland.
Donations were given to nonprofits including Holland Rescue Mission, Hungry For Christ, People Helping People, Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, Feeding America West Michigan and Flat River Outreach Ministries — among others.
Michigan is sixth in the nation for egg production, producing 4.3 billion eggs every year. Participating farms are predominantly located in West Michigan and account for 15 million egg-laying hens.
MAPI is a statewide nonprofit trade organization representing egg, chicken and turkey farmers and their young stock network of breeders, hatcheries and pullet growers. It was formed in 1940 and remains farmer-led.
SOURCE: HOLLAND SENTINEL
