The John Deere Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Deere & Company, has announced a three-year, $6.6 million grant to Feeding America in support of hunger relief efforts and to address the economic challenges facing farm communities.

The funding will be used to address complex issues of food access and improving supply networks to reduce food insecurity and strengthen farm communities where excess crop yields lead to unsustainable storage, transportation, and labor costs. According to the foundation, as much as 30 percent of crops are left for waste each year. The partnership with Feeding America is intended to serve as a complement to Deere’s collaboration with the Farmlink Project, which is focused on delivering surplus food to communities in need.

“Supporting important initiatives like these is part of John Deere’s broader efforts to not only strengthen but ultimately transform our food system to effectively end hunger,” said Deere & Company CEO John May. “Our commitment [is] about actively engaging in initiatives that enhance customers’ livelihoods, while tackling hunger in our local communities.”

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