By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

PEORIA, Ill. — Meghan Grebner is hoping central Illinois’ biggest harvest will come long after farmers have put their combines in their sheds for the winter.
Grebner, agriculture programming director for Classic Country 1290 WIRL-AM in Peoria, began her Harvest for the Holidays program to help disadvantaged families in central Illinois put food on their tables during this holiday season. Area farmers may donate at least 10 bushels of either corn or soybeans to participating grain elevators until Dec. 13, when the grain will be sold on the cash market and the proceeds donated to the Midwest Food Bank.

Grebner said she was moved to begin the program after she interviewed an area grower who would take his own grain wagon around to neighbors and seek donations of grain to sell on the cash market, with the money given to a local food bank. She spent weeks hammering out the logistics of implementing a larger program with aid from her father, a central Illinois farmer.

“We wanted to do something similar for the holidays and get producers involved in giving back to their communities. We were aware of the fact that donations to food banks have declined in recent years, and many people are in need. The statistics here in central Illinois alone are staggering,” said Grebner, who hosts WIRL’s noon agribusiness hour on weekdays, and will broadcast live from the Greater Peoria Farm Show through Dec. 2.

“I talked with some of the local Farm Bureaus and we got eight of them involved. We now have a myriad of sponsors who helped get this going, and it’s something we all hope to continue year after year.”

The involvement of the Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Fulton, Mason, Marshall-Putnam and McLean County Farm Bureaus and their respective Young Leaders helped solidify the program and allowed Grebner reach out to a large number of farmers. In addition, AgLand FS, Evergreen FS, Becks Hybrids, Bayer Crop Science, the Grain & Feed Assoc. of Illinois, Sudenga, the Illinois Corn Marketing Board and the Illinois Soybean Assoc. jumped on board as sponsors.

Jeff Brooks, manager of the Grainland co-op elevator in Eureka, said it had received donations of 325 bushels of corn and 20 bushels of soybeans from a limited number of farmers, as of last week. When the news was relayed to Grebner, she was ecstatic at the response Brooks had received so far – especially considering the program is in its infancy.

“I’m a little speechless – I had no idea. I actually have avoided calling any of the elevators because I didn’t want to have any expectations or be disappointed. This is a great start, and if only a handful of our elevators can do that, we will be very well set,” Grebner said.

Larry Herman, director of Midwest Food Bank’s Peoria division, said total credit for the program should be extended to Grebner, who established the food drive by utilizing her experience and contacts in the ag industry.

“We’re very hopeful the grain sold on December 13 will help us to continue to purchase more farm products such as the soy-based textured vegetable protein and other food items necessary for putting together our Tender Mercies food packages,” said Herman.

“Our Tender Mercies program is less than one year old and was implemented to help meet the downward economic spiral and unemployment problems in our area. We are now producing 10,000 meal packages per month, but are not even beginning to meet the demand that is out there.”

Herman said people in 20 central Illinois counties will benefit from the Harvest for the Holidays and Tender Mercies programs. Midwest Food Bank is a volunteer operation that supplies free food items to over 600 not-for-profit agencies in Illinois and Indiana.

Grebner’s goal is to get at least 100 farmers to donate at least 10 bushels of grain apiece to the program this year.

“It’s a win-win for everybody. We get to feed hungry mouths, spread the good news about agriculture and give something back to the community,” she said.
A complete listing of central Illinois grain elevators accepting donations for the Harvest for the Holidays program can be accessed at www.harvestfortheholidays.com