wfn.org | Ostrich meat being processed for needy, thanks to United Methodist

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Men

Jan. 5, 1999  Contact: Thomas S. McAnally*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
10-21-24-71B{003}

NOTE: UMNS hopes to have a photo available to accompany this story in a few
days.  

By United Methodist News Service

During Thanksgiving week, when most people were planning turkey dinners,
Leon Johnson, president of the Little Wabash River District of United
Methodist Men (UMM) in Southeastern Illinois, had his mind on ostriches.

"Can you find a way to give away 7,000 pounds of ostrich meat to the poor?"
Johnson had been asked by Jim Greathouse, owner of Farmer's Packing in
Albion, Ill.

Prices for ostrich meat had dropped so much that a producer in Kentucky
wanted to butcher more than 100 birds for their hides and destroy the meat.
An average bird dresses out at 70 pounds, meaning that 7,000 pounds of meat
would go to waste.

Johnson didn't know how to respond to Greathouse's unusual request, but he
sensed that God was at work.  

"We began to contact non-profit organizations and food banks affiliated with
our church and Second Harvest of Chicago, which works with most food banks
in the United States including the Tri-State Food Bank in Evansville, Ind.,"
he said. 

After further investigation, Johnson and other district UMM leaders became
acutely aware of the hunger problem, particularly in their own Tri-State
area of Southern Illinois, Indiana and Western Kentucky.  

"We learned there were 117,000 families living below the poverty level in
the 33 counties served by the Tri-State Food Bank - eight in Kentucky, nine
in Indiana and 16 in Southern Illinois," Johnson said. "We found the need
was real and that facilities were available to transport, store and
distribute the meat."

What the men didn't have was money to pay for processing the meat. 

"We couldn't let this meat go to waste with such great need among us,"
Johnson said. Word of the opportunity spread, and by Jan. 5, the men had
collected enough money to pay for the first 7,000 pounds. The meat will be
distributed to the Tri-State Food Bank in Evansville next week.

Other ostrich farmers have learned about the effort and have offered their
own birds. "Potentially we could have as much as 50,000 pounds of meat
available over the next several months, " Johnson said. "We must cover the
processing cost of 50 cents per pound."  With each bird producing 70 pounds
of meat, the men have been encouraging individuals and groups to "adopt a
bird" for $35.

"We were somewhat concerned initially that we would have more offers than
money, but the news is slowly getting out and we are collecting money,"
Johnson said. 

Greathouse's meat packing company in Albion, a community of 2,000 people, is
the only federally approved processor of ostriches in the Midwest, according
to Johnson. Soon after Christmas, the opportunity to provide meat to the
needy took on a new dimension. With the price of pork extremely low,
Greathouse said he could provide process pork for the same amount as
ostrich. At that point, a hog could be bought for $10. The price has
increased slightly since then, but Johnson said pork as well as ostrich will
be offered as long as possible.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to help many hungry people in need and
perhaps also help do our part to relieve the glut of pork and ultimately
help the pork producers who are hurting so badly within our community,"
Johnson said.

The availability of ostrich meat, and then pork, is just another testimony
that God works in mysterious ways, Johnson said. How does he know that this
is God's work? "When the possibilities are limitless," he explained. "The
UMM accept God's challenge to feed these people as long as the funding and
the meat lasts."

People wishing to help may send a tax-deductible gift to Steve Grubb,
treasurer, Little Wabash River District, United Methodist Men, RR#1, Box
298, Albion, IL 62806.  Make checks payable to United Methodist Men. For
other information, contact Johnson at (618) 445-4902 (work) or (618)
445-3605 (after 7 p.m.); or Grubb at (618) 445-2102 (after 7 p.m.).

#  #  #

United Methodist News Service
(615)742-5470
Releases and photos also available at
http://www.umc.org/umns/