A Farmland food truck is traveling the Midwest to farming communities this summer with one mission —honor those who work in all areas of the food chain. Its first stop was in Gladstone, Mo., where the company not only provided meals for Hy-Vee grocery store workers, but also donated money to the Missouri FFA Association.

It was all part of Farmland’s Honoring the Heartland Tour. Missouri Ruralist caught up with Erin Thacker, brand manager for Farmland, to visit about this summer tour:

What brought about the Honoring the Heartland Tour? This past year has been so tough on all of us and brought endless challenges, but we were able to witness how neighbors, families and friends came together to do their part.

Midwestern farming and agricultural communities were no exception, as the pivotal role they play in our nation’s food supply was even more on display. These communities tirelessly worked through the pandemic to keep our country fed, and we wanted to highlight their efforts through our Honoring the Heartland Tour.

As our way of saying thanks, Farmland’s food truck is embarking on a 13-week mission making two or three stops per week to honor the heartland’s unsung heroes by providing grab-n-go meals to those working in the agriculture industry, farming communities and grocery.

Additionally, the brand will be making monetary donations to the National FFA Organization throughout the tour to assist them in their vision to grow leaders, build communities and strengthen agriculture at the local, state and national levels.

Why did Farmland choose FFA to support with donations? Farmland is channeling all monetary donations to the FFA to make the biggest impact on their mission as possible, with contributions going to assist the organization on both national and state levels throughout the tour.

The brand kicked off its Honoring the Heartland Tour with a $25,000 donation to the National FFA Organization’s “Living to Serve” platform, a program that empowers students to make a positive impact in their community through service engagement, and a $5,000 donation to the Missouri FFA Association. The next local donation will focus on the amazing work the Iowa FFA Association has contributed this past year and beyond.

DONATING TO FFA: As part of the Honoring the Heartland Tour, the National FFA Organization and Missouri FFA Association receive donations from Farmland to support the future of agriculture and create the next generation of leaders. Pictured (from left to right) are Trenton Jones, Missouri FFA state officer; Ashley Dolor, Farmland associate brand manager; and Cassy Puskala, National FFA Organization regional director for corporate development.

Supporting the future of farming and providing the next generation with the tools to succeed has been a long-standing commitment of Farmland, so investing in an organization like FFA, a longtime leader in the industry, was a natural fit.

FFA’s mission to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education, and providing them with tools to succeed is unmatched. Farmland is proud to partner with the FFA to invest in its mission at the local, state and national levels and to shine a light on the agricultural industry.

What message does Farmland hope the food truck and its meals deliver to rural America? Through our Honoring the Heartland Tour, Farmland aims to show Midwest communities how much we appreciate the selfless work they do, day in and day out. Just as importantly, we hope to also spread awareness on a national scale of the fundamental role the Midwest plays in our agri-food chain and why it is crucial to support the future of farming to ensure we’re continuing to develop our next agricultural leaders with the best resources possible.

How many meals do you anticipate handing out and what locations do you plan to visit? Farmland specifically launched the food truck for the Honoring the Heartland Tour to make sure we were able to hit the ground across the heartland in the most efficient way possible, serving the most delicious meals possible as a way to say thanks.

Throughout the duration of the tour, 15,000 grab-n-go meals will be provided to those working in the agriculture industry, farming communities, grocery and retail. The two to three stops per week during the 13-week tour will take place throughout rural communities across the Midwest, and larger cities like Kansas City, Mo.; Des Moines, Iowa; and Omaha, Neb. Stops include locations such as state fairs, grocery stores, farm equipment suppliers and more.