The Mosaic Company Hosts Hunger Relief Forum Featuring National Geographic Photographer and Local Panel of Experts

TAMPA, Fla., July 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- To support local community efforts to combat the devastating impacts of food insecurity, The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) today hosted a hunger relief forum and donated $120,000 to 12 local food banks to help the one-in-six people in Central Florida who don't know where they will get their next meal.

The community forum, attended by hundreds of local leaders at the Florida State Fairgrounds, featured a compelling presentation by National Geographic Magazine photographer John Stanmeyer, who shared his stunning photographs and perspective on the global food crisis. Hosted by Gary N. "Bo" Davis, Mosaic's senior vice president of phosphate operations, the forum also included a panel discussion with local experts.

"Sustaining our food supply literally starts from the ground up," said Davis. "It's a collaborative effort that requires engagement from mine to market. The experiences we've shared with the organizations serving the front lines of this issue remind us every day how important our work is to finding sustainable solutions for this very real and growing problem at home and around the globe as the world gains 75 million new people each year."

At the event, Mosaic recognized 12 local nonprofit organizations that are supporting hunger relief in Central Florida by granting each a $10,000 donation. The organizations included  Feeding America Tampa Bay and Meals on Wheels of Tampa, the Florida Association of Food Banks and the Harry Chapin Food Bank in Fort Myers, the Hardee Help Center in Wauchula, ECHO in Brandon, All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota, Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee and Our Daily Bread in Bradenton, Agape Food Bank and VISTE in Lakeland, and Cutting Edge Ministries in Zolfo Springs.

With Stanmeyer's presentation providing human context for the issue on a global scale, the panel discussion addressed the implications of food insecurity in Central Florida. Panel members included:  Thomas Mantz, executive director of Feeding America Tampa Bay; Patrizia La Trecchia, Ph.D., associate professor at University of South Florida Patel College of Global Sustainability; Rebecca Brislain, executive director for the Florida Association of Food Banks; and Neil Beckingham, sustainability manager for Mosaic. Tampa's  WFLA News Channel 8 anchor Keith Cate moderated the event.

"Because food is so often taken for granted here, hunger is an unfathomable condition," said Mantz. "It's truly through the support of partners like Mosaic and social ambassadors like John Stanmeyer that we are able to raise awareness and talk about community-driven and global solutions."

Mosaic's mission is to help the world grow the food it needs. The phosphate mined locally in Florida provides a critical function in sustaining North American and global farming and food production. Mosaic helps farmers grow more food on less land by increasing crop yields through responsible and scientific application of phosphate and potash-based crop nutrients.

By uniting community leaders and organizations throughout Central Florida, Mosaic hopes to ignite local community dialogue about food security and the valuable roles various organizations, companies, educators and industries can play in providing solutions to support hunger relief efforts and create a sustainable food supply.

About The Mosaic Company:
The Mosaic Company is one of the world's leading producers and marketers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. Mosaic is a single source provider of phosphate and potash fertilizers and feed ingredients for the global agriculture industry. More information on the company is available at www.mosaicco.com.

SOURCE The Mosaic Company

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