AgTech Innovation News

LEXINGTON, Ky, December 3, 2024 – Today is Giving Tuesday, the Global Day of Giving, and two midwestern based agricultural firms are stepping up to the plate to help alleviate hunger in the region. MACKAYBEN™, a Lexington, Kentucky organization focused on leadership development within the agriculture and food industries, and the Stratovation Group, a diverse agricultural marketing firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, are collaborating to support the Midwest Food Bank.

The David Kieser family, a McLean County, Illinois grain farm, started the Midwest Food Bank in 2003 when they turned a shed on their family farm into a distribution site for local food pantries. Soon the Kiesers realized the need was more significant, and there was room for growth.

During the financial stress of the holiday season, many people find that buying a few gifts or preparing a meal makes their challenges even more pronounced. With 47.4 million Americans facing food insecurity, including 1 in 5 children, these times demand even more support than ever before. Giving Tuesday is a Global Day of Giving, celebrated annually on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. This year, the Midwest Food Bank will turn every $1 donated into $60 worth of food. A gift of $1,000 provides 15,000 meals, according to Russ Green, founder and Managing Director of MACKAYBEN.

“Experienced agriculture mentors need to help our young ag and food leaders, as they have the daunting task of feeding the world and our future generations,” Green said. “One of those responsibilities is to share the importance of community engagement in addressing the issue of food insecurity. Providing food resources from the farm gate to the dinner plate is an essential quality of our next generation of ag leaders.”

Cam Camfield, founder and CEO of Stratovation Group, said the methods employed by the Midwest Food Bank to leverage and multiply donated dollars through community volunteers is a great example of the U.S. agricultural sector’s commitment to service. The firm partners with MACKAYBEN to provide industry learning experiences for sophomore and junior students in selected ag universities.

“Stratovation University is founded on the notion that motivated college students enrolled in agricultural universities are anxious to learn and adapt innovative professional leadership skills that will successfully propel themselves into the job market,” Camfield said. “Serving hungry Americans by sharing the bounty of American agriculture is an essential leadership concept.”

Both leaders encourage other Americans to join the effort by making a Global Day of Giving donation to the Midwest Foodbank by visiting: www.midwestfoodbank.org/givingtuesday.

Midwest Food Bank is a nonprofit organization that alleviates hunger and food insecurity. Established in 2003 in Bloomington, Illinois, it has since grown into one of the largest independent food banks in the United States. The organization distributes food at no cost to nonprofits, community groups, and disaster relief efforts domestically and internationally. It also runs specialized programs like Tender Mercies, which provides nutritious packaged meals, and Hope Packs, which combats childhood hunger by supplying weekend meals for school children.

Stratovation Group is a full-service research, marketing, and communications firm specializing in the agriculture and food industries. It provides comprehensive business support through qualitative and quantitative research, strategic planning, and marketing services. Their focus areas include innovation, sustainability, and promoting growth within the agri-food value chain. The group is also known for collaborating with MACKAYBEN to launch leadership development initiatives like the Stratovation Leadership Academy. This program focuses on equipping new leaders in agriculture with skills that balance traditional business principles and modern innovations?.

MACKAYBEN™ is an organization focused on leadership development in the agriculture and food industries. Founded in 2012 by Russ Green, MACKAYBEN aims to shape the next generation of leaders by blending traditional values with innovative strategies to address challenges in the evolving agri-food sector. MACKAYBEN offers mentorship, strategic planning, and leadership training services, targeting individuals and businesses in agriculture-related fields. The name "MACKAYBEN" is derived from the names of the founder’s three grandchildren, Mac, Kaylee, and Ben, reflecting a family-oriented approach to its mission.