February 11, 2020

2020 Giving Hearts Day challenge

Topic: Events

February 11: For the first time ever, the NDFB Foundation is participating in Giving Hearts Day, a day set aside for people to donate to their favorite charities. Find out how the NDFB Foundation provides hope for the future of agriculture.

Download and listen to the 2020 Giving Hearts Day challenge mp3

Read the transcript:

Giving Hearts Day is this week, February 13, and NDFB Foundation asks for your support.

But let’s go on a little bit of a journey, first. A journey to the lambing barn. Now, just bear with me folks. Follow me on the journey.

As we’re asking for donations on Giving Hearts Day, today was shearing day at our farm. And I got to thinking about all the things that agriculture gives us. And while we were shearing, I was particularly thinking of what sheep give us.

Of course, all of agriculture is renewable. We utilize resources that regrow, to produce goods and food that we sell. And a sheep is very unique. Not only do we get meat from sheep, which is very nutritious – not highly consumed in the United States such as pork, chicken and beef – but nonetheless a very nutritious source of protein and other nutrients. But they also give us wool. A fiber with excellent insulating value. Wonderful warm blankets, warm socks are made from wool. Liners and gloves and, oh yes, Joaquin, people even drink milk from sheep, not just a cow. You’ll be proud to know that, Joaquin!

I digress!

As I was watching the shearer do his job, I was thinking how lucky we are in agriculture to experience what these animals give us. And then I was thinking how many people don’t fully understand because they’re generations removed from the farm, the actual physical work, the actual appreciation of what we get.

This leads me into our request and how you can give to NDFB Foundation. If you think that the message, like this message about what sheep give us, a message of all of agriculture and what it provides for us, is important, we ask you for your donation.

If you think helping provide assistance to those that go to further their education in college, that’ll be great advocates for us in agriculture, in the future, we ask you give to us at NDFB Foundation.

And finally, here is a challenge directly from me. I have the privilege to be the president of NDFB, and so, up to the first $500 given by individuals, I will make a match. So, if you can afford $10, $25, $50 or $100, the first $500 given by individuals will be matched by me, personally. Because I do believe that sharing our message is important. And I believe that at NDFB, we do that very well every day on behalf of our great farmers and ranchers who are our members and are the best at what they do; growing the products, taking those things that are given from these animals and resources, and distributing them to the world for the nutrition, the fiber, the fuel and the pharmaceuticals we all enjoy and need.

Go to our website, ndfb.org and you can click on the link to donate this Giving Hearts Day to a cause that is more important now than it ever has been to tell the story of agriculture. And we thank you from the NDFB Foundation for your support.