National 4-H Council and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation Join Forces to Combat Hunger

Buffett Foundation Executive Director Howard W. Buffett to join National 4-H Council Board of Trustees

CHEVY CHASE, Md., Aug. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National 4-H Council is pleased to announce its partnership with the Howard G. Buffett Foundation by supporting the Invest an Acre program. This partnership will educate young people on the issues of food security and hunger relief, and will empower 4-H'ers to take action on this critical issue now, and as future leaders.

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, an organization that strengthens food security for vulnerable populations at home and abroad, recently launched the Invest an Acre program – a collaboration that includes, ADM, Monsanto, and Feeding America.  Launched in 2012, Invest an Acre is the first wide-scale effort to organize U.S. farmers to support hunger relief, and enables farmers across the country to donate one acre or more of crop proceeds to help fight hunger in their own communities.

In partnership with Invest an Acre, 4-H will establish pilot projects with 4-H programs in five key states engaging thousands of 4-H members and volunteers in community-based food-security and hunger-relief projects.

"Throughout the United States and the world, young people are the solution to the challenges of feeding the population, today and tomorrow," said Donald T. Floyd Jr., president and CEO of National 4-H Council. "Youth have shown that when given an opportunity, they are eager to take on the problems of hunger relief and food security. Through the Invest an Acre program, 4-H and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation can provide them with that opportunity as well as the education they need to make full use of it."

Each of the five states will tailor its programming to local circumstances that best meet the needs of the community. 4-H'ers in these states will engage with their local farmers in the Invest an Acre program, and will also work with their neighbors encouraging them to make food and cash donations to local hunger-relief efforts. 4-H'ers may also start local community gardens and food banks.

"Ironically, poverty is at its highest in the areas of our nation most responsible for producing our food," said Howard W. Buffett, executive director of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. "By tapping into 4-H, the nation's largest youth development organization and largest producer of future Ag leaders, we are engaging feet on the ground in the fight against hunger in areas that need it the most."

In addition to spearheading this innovative new partnership, National 4-H Council is also pleased to announce that Howard W. Buffett has joined its Board of Trustees.

"We are excited to welcome Howard to the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees," said Donald T. Floyd, Jr., National 4-H Council president and CEO. "His expertise in food security issues and hands-on agriculture will be invaluable to Council's mission to provide youth with the tools and information they need to create long-term solutions to feed a growing world."

Prior to his role at the Foundation, Buffett served in the U.S. Department of Defense, overseeing agricultural reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan and received the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award – the highest civilian honor given by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"4-H is an iconic emblem of the values America was founded on – integrity, respect, hard work and responsibility," said Buffett. "I'm thrilled to join National 4-H Council's Board of Trustees. I hope to provide a fresh perspective, lend my experience in technology and Ag production, and help to bridge the Ag divide – working with youth across the nation to understand the relevance of Ag in their everyday life."

Buffett previously led the cross-sector partnerships portfolio for the White House Domestic Policy Council, and developed the expansion strategy for the U.S. Cooperative Extension System while serving in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He has also surveyed agricultural practices while traveling in over 70 countries, and previously worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations.

Named a top 99 foreign policy leader under the age of 33, Buffett earned a BA from Northwestern University and an MPA in Advanced Management and Finance from Columbia University. He was President of his local FFA chapter, and was awarded state soil judging champion while attending high school. He is a native of Omaha, Nebraska where he operates a 400 acre no-till farm.

About the Howard G. Buffett Foundation
Established in 1999, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation's primary mission is to combat hunger and improve the standard of living for vulnerable populations throughout the world. The Foundation invests in a full spectrum of initiatives to address global hunger and food insecurity.  For more information about the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and its programs, visit www.thehowardgbuffettfoundation.org.

About Invest an Acre
In partnership with ADM, The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Monsanto, and Feeding America, Invest an Acre encourages U.S. farmers to donate one acre or more of their crop proceeds to fight hunger in their local communities.  A farmer delivering his or her crop to their local ADM grain elevator designates a portion of proceeds toInvest an Acre.  Monsanto matches each farmer's contribution dollar for dollar and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation underwrites all program costs, ensuring 100% of contributions go to the Feeding America food bank serving that farmer's community. For more information on the Invest an Acre program, visit www.investanacre.org.

About 4-H
4-H is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA. 4-H programs are implemented by the 111 land-grant universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Learn more about 4-H at www.4-H.org or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H.

SOURCE National 4-H Council