Producer Partnership makes donation

There was fantastic news for the Three Forks and Willow Creek School Districts last week.

On Thursday, April 18, the Producer Partnership delivered 931 pounds of top-quality USDA-inspected protein to Willow Creek and 1,185 pounds to Three Forks.

The Cooper Hereford Ranch made the generous donations possible in an effort to put local beef in school lunch programs.

"The Producer Partnership was founded in 2020 because of neighbors looking to help each other during Covid. The simple idea of donating local protein has resulted in the first federally inspected, nonprofit-owned, and operated processing facility in the United States. We are honored to be able to deliver protein to school lunch programs in Three Forks and Willow Creek," said Founder and President Matt Pierson. "The delivery of this amazing donations is the result of the generosity of Cooper Herefords. We are excited not only for this donation but of what the Producer Partnership can accomplish in the future to provide local protein to local school lunch programs across the state of Montana."

Willow Creek Superintendent Bonnie Lower said it was an amazing and thankful Thursday with Cooper Hereford Ranch gifting a beef for the hot lunch program.

"This generous gift was made possible by the great work being done by Matt and Kris Pierson," Lower said.

Matt and Kris Pierson, Katie Cooper, Kelsey Cooper, and Dave Hanson made the deliveries at both schools.

"It is such a blessing to live in such a wonderful community," Lower said.

Three Forks Superintendent Dr. Rhonda Uthlaut was excited about the district being included in the partnership.

"I think it is so encouraging because anytime a school can partner with others in the community to benefit children, it's a win for everybody. Everyone knows that schools are really being challenged to meet the needs of our students, and this is another way to partner, and it also helps out the district financially," she said.

Three Forks School Food Director Ashley Darling was thrilled about the donation.

"Words cannot describe it. We are so thankful for all of this. It's incredible," Darling said.

Producer Partnership

The Producer Partnership was founded in Spring 2020 with the mission to end hunger in Montana. The nonprofit organization partners with livestock producers across the state by processing donated livestock into top-quality protein and providing it to food banks to help those in need. The Producer Partnership also partners with producers who want to donate top-quality protein to their local school lunch program. Local producers and food centers are working in partnership to provide Montana protein to those individuals and families with food insecurity. This is the spirit of Montana neighbors helping one another. Since its founding, the Producer Partnership has been awarded 501(c)3 nonprofit status, hired staff, built a processing facility, gained federal inspection, and donated nearly 250,000 pounds of Montana-raised animal protein to Montana Food Bank Network and other charities as well as schools across the Big Sky State. For more information, visit https://www.producerpartnership.com/