The Story Behind the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation
May 2020
It’s hard to imagine starting a charity during a word-wide pandemic, but that’s exactly what Utah Farm Bureau Federation set out to do in May of 2020. Supply chains were disrupted, leaving farmers with surplus food sitting on the farm with nowhere to sell it to, but grocery store shelves were going empty, leaving consumers confused and hungry. Utah Farm Bureau had an idea, to use donations to buy food directly from the farmers and distribute it to hungry Utahns for free. That way, Utah farmers could stay in business and hungry people could be fed. They named the charity “The Miracle of Agriculture Foundation“, paying homage to their Mission Statement “To Inspire All Utah Families to Connect, Succeed and Grow Through the Miracle of Agriculture.”
Our First Miracle Project
At the end of May the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation completed its first project by partnering with Utah State University’s Hunger Institute, the Utah chapters of the Navajo nation, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, to deliver 600 live sheep, 16,000 pounds of frozen lamb and 10,000 pounds of Utah flour to the Navajo nation chapters of Mexican Water, Aneth, Oljato, and Navajo Mountain.
The Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the country, had seen higher death rates from Covid-19 than most other states in the country. Many live in areas considered food deserts. For some communities, unemployment rates are 100% or close to it, as many depend on recreation to fuel economies.
Navajos believe in Dibé bei Iiná (loosely translated to mean “Sheep is Life”). They value the life of a sheep because of the food they provide, the products they provide for rug weaving and cultural ceremonies.
Utah sheep ranchers were struggling to sell their lambs, as the demand from restaurants had greatly decreased. The Miracle of Agriculture Foundation, with the help of generous donors, was able to purchase the sheep from ranchers and give them to the Navajo nation chapters in need.
Continuing Legacy
Even though the Covid-19 Pandemic has ended, the food insecurity needs remain the same. The Miracle of Agriculture Foundation continues to provide charitable food donations to food pantries and other communities throughout Utah, and even throughout the nation. To see some of our most recent projects, please visit our “Projects” tab.