Harvesting Hunger Solutions

Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin will support local family farms until the cows come home. Wisconsin is home to over 55,000 family-owned farms. But according to the most recent US census, that number is shrinking. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s Farm Link program supports our local farmers, and in return, farmers provide quality fruits, vegetables, and meat for our member pantries and their surrounding communities.

Working with Wisconsin farms allows us to shorten the distance between harvest and consumption. By doing so, we get more healthy food to people in a quicker fashion, while reducing the financial and environmental costs of transporting the food long distances.

Thanks to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, we are doing even more to support the local economy through partnerships with local farmers like Waseda Farms, all while stocking pantry partner shelves.

The Lutsey family, a new Farm Link partner, has been in the farming industry since the 1940s and has owned Waseda Farms since 2008. Their farm is located in Door County and produces responsibly raised organic food including: grass-fed beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and eggs.

Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s relationship with Waseda Farms began as a result of the pandemic. Tom Lutsey, the now-retired chief farming officer, was looking for ways to connect with organizations that were feeding people due to the severe spike in hunger. When Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin reached out to Waseda Farms to use grant funds to purchase beef, Tom gave the money right back as a donation. Tom explained that his family farm is rooted in giving back: “My dad always taught me that you have to give back if you’re fortunate enough to make money in the food business,” Tom shared. “I taught my kids the same thing, and we try to give back in the same way.”

The family at Waseda Farms is committed to giving back to their community by empowering other local farmers. Through the Lutsey Family Foundation, annual scholarships are offered to farmers’ children in order to support generations of farmers to come. Waseda Farms also gives the excess products to organizations such as their local Boys and Girls Club and a number of local homeless shelters. We will continue to support Waseda Farms so they can continue to support their farming friends and food-insecure folks in their community.