Stock the Trailer effort donates record 448,827 pounds of food across Ohio

This summer youth 4-H leaders across Ohio united in a powerful effort to fight hunger in their local communities, collecting a record-breaking 448,827 pounds of food for more than 60 food banks statewide.

As part of the Fight Hunger, Stock the Trailer competition presented by Farm Credit Mid-America and sponsored by Rural 1st, these young leaders turned a friendly rivalry into a statewide movement, making a real difference in their communities while earning funds for their 4-H organizations.

“Supporting rural communities and agriculture is at the heart of our mission, and this initiative is a powerful example,” said Melanie Strait-Bok, Farm Credit Mid-America’s senior vice president of agricultural lending in Ohio. “Feeding America reports that more than 1.8 million Ohioans face food insecurity. It’s inspiring to see our Ohio youth lead innovative efforts like this to support their communities.”

This marks the fourth consecutive year of record donations in the five-year-old program — representing a 57% increase over 2024’s total of 286,000 pounds. Ross County in South Ohio was the overall state winner, collecting 122,640 pounds of food for Brookside Church and Good Samaritan Food Pantry.

In addition to the nearly 450,000 pounds of food collected by the 4-H teams, Farm Credit Mid-America donated $63,000 to 4-H county fairs in Ohio this summer. All of the nearly 60 participating county fairs' 4-H programs received a $500 donation to support activities that build future agriculture leaders. Additional prize dollars were given to the top participating fairs in each of the five regions.