In August, Cargill launched the #putyourherdfirst campaign to support The Great American Milk Drive. More than 65,000 people engaged with the campaign on Facebook and Cargill is extremely proud to announce that all 200 food banks in the Feeding America network will receive 500 servings of milk!

“We received a tremendous amount of support for the HerdFirst® campaign, and are very thankful to everyone who helped us reach the goal of 100,000 servings of milk,” says Justin Howes, strategic marketing lead for Cargill’s U.S. dairy feed business. “Our dairy farmers work tirelessly to produce high-quality milk, and we are happy to help provide it to families and children in need.”

Each year, 46 million people, including 12 million children, rely on Feeding America food banks for regular access to milk, which is one of the most-requested, but least-donated, items. On average, these food banks are only able to provide the equivalent of less than one gallon of milk per person per year. The Great American Milk Drive was created to help address this specific need, and is the first-of-its-kind national program.

“As the largest hunger relief organization serving the United States, Feeding America knows first-hand the critical importance of getting nutritious food to people in need. We are grateful to our partners at Cargill and the #putyourherdfirst campaign; this partnership puts milk on the tables of families in need,” says Kelli Walker, director of corporate partnerships, Feeding America.

This campaign was a unique way for Cargill to raise awareness for HerdFirst®, a new line of advanced calf and heifer nutrition, while living their mission of nourishing the world, and supporting the industries and communities they serve.

“Cargill’s campaign was an easy option for anyone and everyone to be able to give back by simply changing their profile picture to the HerdFirst® frame, and then they did the rest,” says Tara Vander Dussesn, owner of Rajen Dairy, based in New Mexico. Vander Dussen is a well-known dairy social media personality who goes by the moniker New Mexico Milkmaid. “Many dairy farmers cannot afford to make donations right now, but we all care about our communities and want to give back when we can. This campaign gave us a great opportunity to provide that support while also showing how much we care for our animals,” she added.

To learn more about Cargill’s campaign and HerdFirst® branded line of products visit www.putyourherdfirst.com. To donate directly to The Great American Milk Drive, visit milklife.com/give.