John Deere Foundation Commits $18.5M to Farm-to-Plate Food Push
Moline – October 13, 2026 -- The John Deere Foundation has committed $18.5 million over multiple years to a Farm-to-Plate strategy that channels surplus farm output to food banks, with more than $13 million earmarked for Iowa.
The package is anchored by a $17 million, three-year commitment to Feeding America and a $1.5 million, three-year partnership with The Farmlink Project. Funds will go toward recovering surplus produce, building direct farmer-to-food-bank channels and mobilizing John Deere employees for local hunger relief.
Iowa initiative targets 100+ farmers across three food banks
A new "Farm to Food Bank" initiative will help three Iowa food banks expand existing partnerships with farmers, lifting participation to more than 100 producers. The program is designed to open new market outlets for farmers while routing more locally grown food to families facing hunger.