Havre Food Bank Receives Beef Donation from MFU President

Beef born, raised and processed in Montana feeding Montana families

Montana born, raised and processed beef will be feeding Hi-Line families who rely on the Havre Community Food Bank in the coming months, thanks to a donation of roughly 1,500 pounds of hamburger from Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer and his wife Cindy Palmer, who run Tiber Angus.

“Food banks need the protein that we have, and it’s an opportunity for us to help feed our neighbors,” Schweitzer said.

The beef was processed at Montana Premium Processing Cooperative, a member-owned meat processing facility in Havre. Earlier this year, the facility received its USDA inspection certificate, opening markets for Montana producers to sell their meat directly to consumers across the country.

The USDA inspection status also is what allowed Schweitzer to donate the beef to the food bank.

Montana Cattlemen’s Association Foundation for Research, Education and Endowment donated the cost of the processing through their Beef for Every Plate program.

The donation underscores the importance of MFU’s work to create more resilient local food supply chains.

District 4 Human Resources Development Council’s Havre Community Food Bank relies solely on donations to serve roughly 130 Hill County families a month, and recently had to decrease meat in food boxes because of shortages. The food bank is thankful for the donation of Montana beef processed locally from Tiber Angus and what it means for families, said Joscelyn Smith, who works at the food bank.

“Receiving this beef donation will make a great change for families. The Food Bank will be able to provide more meat in the bi-monthly meat boxes going out to families,” Smith said.

Schweitzer, a member of MPPC himself, encouraged others to consider donating protein to local food banks as well, saying that MFU and Farmers Union Enterprises will cover the cost of processing done at MPPC for meat donated to a food bank.

“So if there is any producer who wants to donate livestock to the food bank, they can contact us, and we’ll help them do that. And it won’t cost them anything,” he said.