Cargill recently announced that it is working with nonprofit and non-government organization partners around the globe to help address food security, health and safety needs and agriculture and industry challenges due to the spread of COVID-19. The company has committed $35 million to date for COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts through partnerships, aid funds, product donations and employee giving. In addition to monetary contributions, Cargill has donated nearly 3 million lb. of food to food shelves and hunger relief efforts. The response is guided by its purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way, the company said.

“We are working with farmers and ranchers to keep the agriculture economy moving and to support our agriculture communities,” Jon Nash, president of Cargill Protein North America, said. “We want to thank our employees as well as our farmer and rancher partners. I am humbled to work alongside the people whose tireless efforts every day keep food on tables in local communities.”

At the heart of the food system, farmers play an essential role in nourishing the world. As such, Cargill said it is reinforcing its partnership with farmers and ranchers, investing in programs that support their work and resilience. For example, Cargill has contributed to the American Farmland Trust’s Farmer Relief Fund, which provides producers in the U.S. with grants of up to $1,000 each to help them navigate the current market disruptions during the crisis.

Cargill is also focused on supporting agricultural communities, especially those most vulnerable to food insecurity during this pandemic. The company has made both monetary and food contributions to organizations such as Action for Healthy Kids, Feeding America, Means Database, United Way, the National Restaurant Assn. Foundation Employee Relief Fund and numerous local food shelves. Local teams have donated eggs to Second Harvest Heartland, protein and food donations were distributed for emergency food boxes for school children and 420 lb. of pizza toppings were donated in Kansas to support a local restaurant’s efforts to feed health care workers.

“Cargill is committed to putting people first and continues to keep its facilities operating anywhere it is safe to do so. This ensures a reliable market for farmers and ranchers and delivers the essential service of putting food on family tables,” the company said.

To support employee health, Cargill has adopted additional safety measures at all protein facilities, including temperature testing, distributing face masks to employees daily, taking extra cleaning and sanitizing measures and supporting social distancing with efforts ranging from staggered breaks and shift flexibility to the installation of barriers between work stations. Cargill is also recognizing the tireless contributions of its front-line employees with incentive pay and bonuses during the pandemic. Additionally, the company has worked alongside local government officials to ensure that decisions made coordinate with the government’s greater COVID-19 response.