The Fayette and Glasgow school districts in Howard County and the Brunswick School District in Chariton County are “beefing” it up again through the MO Beef Kids program. Each school received 412 pounds of hamburger, which amounts to approximately 2,800 servings of beef in each school.

Steve and Joyce Diehls of Fayette donated two animals, and Fred Weiker, also from Fayette, donated one animal. 

“I contributed to the program to help kids better understand where food comes from and to help them enjoy the great taste of beef,” says Diehls. 

Weiker said he donated to the program to provide a small portion of the beef that some children do not get at home. “It also helps the school lunch program, allowing for their budget to provide more nutritious meals.”

Through the MO Beef Kids program, students are provided locally-raised beef and education about the industry, explained Heather Conrow, Livestock Specialist with MU Extension of Howard County. Conrow said community members are able to contribute to the program through animal or monetary contributions. “When members of the community contribute toward the sponsorship of the processing, the schools get the beef at no cost,” Conrow said.    

MO Beef Kids is a partnership between the school districts, the Howard County Cattlemen’s Association, MU Extension in Howard County, the Missouri Beef Industry Council, and the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Missouri Grown program. All beef is produced and donated by local cattle producers.

For more information about the program or to make an animal or monetary contribution, contact MU Extension in Howard County at 660-248-2272 or Heather Conrow at hconrow@missouri.edu.