Team Up Tuesday Is A Meaningful Missouri State Fair Tradition
By: Emma Alexander –
The partners of Missouri Farmers Care’s Drive to Feed Kids (the Drive) teamed up with more than 650 Missouri FFA members, playing a key role in one of the Missouri State Fair’s most meaningful traditions. For nine years agriculture’s youth and leaders have come together to pack meals for neighbors in need. Missouri FFA’s Day of Service has found meaning as ‘Team Up Tuesday’. This keystone annual event of the Drive yielded 177,792 meals. In total, the 2025 Drive raised over 720,000 meals for Missouri families facing hunger.
Thanks to many partners, the Drive is more than just a food drive.
“The Drive is possible because of the commitment of our partners,” says Ashley McCarty, executive director of Missouri Farmers Care Foundation. “Their dedication transforms what could be just a food drive into a movement of neighbors helping neighbors. Together, agricultural leaders, agribusinesses, and community organizations are making an incredible impact—turning harvest into hope and ensuring our neighbors facing hunger are not left behind.”
The Missouri FFA Day of Service is hosted by the Missouri FFA Association, Missouri Farmers Care, and the Missouri State Fair, and presented by Brownfield Ag News and ADM, with partners across Missouri agriculture.
Modeling Leadership
Partners model FFA’s ‘living to serve’ motto at the Day of Service event. They show up to lead by example, rolling up their shirt sleeves alongside the next generation of agriculture. Together, agriculture leaders and FFA youth build family meal packages from Missouri grown rice provided by Martin Rice, protein sourced from ADM, and additional nutrient-dense ingredients. Every meal packed helps to meet the needs of hungry Missourians when distributed through Drive partner, Feeding Missouri.
“Brownfield Ag News has passionately supported the Drive from the very beginning because it’s simply the right thing to do,” shares Cyndi Young, Director of Brownfield Ag News. “This isn’t about recognition—it’s about standing up for a cause that truly matters. The applause doesn’t matter. The impact does.”
More Than Just a Food Packing Event
Missouri FFA’s Day of Service may be the first time that many FFA members collaborate with these agriculture partners. Students recognize partner investment in our communities and commitment to partnering with FFA members for the future. Our youth in agriculture see these partners and other Drive supporters as leaders and mentors.
“The Drive represents everything ADM stands for. It’s a full circle moment when we can combine our support of rural communities by giving back and volunteering alongside our youth in agriculture,” says Sarah Shepherd of ADM. “We are thrilled to highlight ADM’s strength and ability to connect the farmer to the plate. This event has become a tradition.”
More than just a prominent service project, the Drive is a celebration of Missouri agriculture’s effort to get a bountiful harvest to every plate. As they pack, FFA members and supporting partners sing and dance their way through thousands of meals, working elbow to elbow for hours. Youth and adults make new friends and catch up with old acquaintances.
More Than Just A Food Drive
Going beyond ‘living to serve’ on August 12th, partners are helping youth in agriculture to recognize and respond to food insecurity with Drive matching grants awarded through the Missouri Farmers Care Foundation (MFCF). These grants empower youth organizations to design and execute solutions for local food security needs.
“The MFCF Drive opens the door for Missourians to make a difference in the fight against hunger, and Missouri FFA and 4-H members are leading the way,” says Governor Mike Kehoe. “Every meal packed and every food item donated is proof that the next generation isn’t waiting to make a difference, they’re making it happen today. Claudia and I are proud to join these leaders to make an impact and work toward a stronger, healthier Missouri.”
2025 Drive to Feed Kids in Review
Missouri 4-H members provided 271,000 meals during the 4-H Feeding Missouri campaign this spring. Missouri FFA members packed more than 177,000 family meals. 4-H clubs, FFA chapters, and collegiate groups statewide expanded their local impact by providing 97,000 meals through matching grants. Through the Hogs for Hunger initiative, swine exhibitors and producers generously committed enough pork to provide 27,500 servings this year. Fairgoers also contributed to the effort through $2 Tuesday at the Fair, donating non-perishable food and funds equivalent to 49,000 meals. Over nine years, the Drive has provided more than 13.7 million meals to children and families across Missouri.
2025 Drive to Feed Kids is Powered by Partnership
The Missouri Farmers Care Foundation Drive to Feed Kids is presented in partnership with ADM and Brownfield Ag News. Partners across Missouri agriculture make the Drive possible: American Family Insurance and the American Family Dreams Foundation, Nutra-Blend, MFA Incorporated, The Poultry Federation, Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, FCS Financial, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, Missouri Farm Bureau, Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation, Martin Rice, Missouri FFA Foundation, Forrest and Charlotte Lucas & Lucas Cattle Company, Smithfield Foods, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri’s Electric Cooperatives, Missouri State Fair Foundation, Midwest Dairy, Empower Missouri, Missouri 4-H Foundation, and partners the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri State Fair, Feeding Missouri and the contributions of many Missouri farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses.
What is Drive to Feed Kids?
Launched in 2017, the Drive builds collaborative partnerships among nonprofits, farmers, and agribusinesses committed to addressing food insecurity across the state. To learn more, including how to get involved in 2026, visit www.MOFarmersCare.com/drive.