THUNDER BAY -- A field of wheat grown by local farmers will play a role in combatting global hunger.
For more than 10 years a group of farmers have come together to grow the grain to sell with the proceeds going to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, a non-profit that has been providing global aid for more than 30 years.
On Saturday a group of volunteers came together at the 68-acre field just off Poleline Road to harvest this year’s wheat.
About 15 farmers contributed to this year’s growth, whether it be donating time or equipment to till the soil, seed, weed control or harvesting.
Group spokesperson Christina Mol said this year’s crop is expected to produce 100 tonnes of grain, which will likely sell for about $20,000.
This year’s project required extra time and dedication due to the difficult season. A slow start to the year and a cool growing season delayed the harvest by a month.
“It’s been a wet and rainy year so it’s definitely delayed us. Normally this would be harvested sometime in September and here we are at the end of October,” she said.
Many farmers are also busy trying to harvest their own fields as quickly as they can before the arrival of heavy frost.
Once the harvesting is complete the wheat will be stored at a local grain handling facility while it awaits purchase. The proceeds of the sale will be donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, where it will be matched at a four-to-one ratio by the federal government.
Those funds are used to purchase food from producers in the areas where it is needed most. In addition to providing food it also encourages agriculture in third world areas.
In the past volunteers have travelled to Ethiopia to see firsthand the difference their work makes in helping feed those in need.
“It goes directly to people who need food,” Mol said.
