Minnich Poultry to donate eggs

Minnich Poultry of Jay County is giving the Easter Bunny something to hop about as they prepare to donate approximately 32,000 eggs to the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana located at 6621 North Old Ind. 3 in Muncie on Tuesday at 11 a.m.

"Helping neighboring families in need is of the utmost importance to our industry," Marg Reier of Minnich Poultry said in a prepared statement. "We're proud to offer our help and support when our community needs it now more than ever."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecure people as those who do not have regular access to enough safe, nutritious food for an active and healthy life. In Indiana, roughly 11.2 percent of the state population are food insecure and live with hunger. In fact 44 percent of those who receive assistance from the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana are children under 18 and 71 percent have incomes below poverty level.

According to Lois Rockhill, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank, the Minnich Poultry donation will provide many high-protein meals to the growing number of East Central Indiana Hoosiers depending on local charities to help feed their families. "We have never seen the need as high, nor have we seen the response so great. Our thanks to Minnich Poultry for their commitment to making a difference to neighbors in need."

For the third year in a row, United Egg Producers and Feeding America are teaming up in the fight against hunger and local egg farmers across America are dropping off truckloads of much needed protein to local food banks just in time for Easter.

Beginning in March and leading up to April 4, egg farmers nationwide will be donating more than 12 million eggs to help make sure America's food banks are well stocked with nutrient-dense eggs.

"United Egg Producers' members are dedicated to helping their local communities," said Gene Gregory, president of United Egg Producers. "Our hope is that this donation during the Easter holiday makes a significant difference in the lives of many people who live at risk of hunger." 

Last year, the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana distributed more than 5 million pounds of food to more than 130 charitable programs across 8 counties. They provide emergency food for an estimated 69,900 different people annually and roughly 11,600 different people receive emergency food assistance in any given week. Their programs include pantries, meals, day care, shelter and other services for the region's 49,000 people living in poverty and the additional 72,000 low-income households struggling to make ends meet.

 

Business expo

East Central Indiana residents and business owners are invited to the Jay County Chamber of Commerce Business Expo and Home Show being held in April.

Chamber businesses and others will be on display with activities, entertainment, prizes and food.

The expo will be held April 10 and 11 in the auxiliary gym at the high school. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 10 and from noon to 4 p.m. on April 11.

Investment center

Regional economic development group Energize-ECI will attempt to establish an EB-5 Visa Immigrant Investor Regional Center.

The EB-5 visa program offers opportunities for foreign businesses to locate in the U.S. The regional center, if established, would be the first in the state.

Energize-ECI's goals include establishing the center this year, creating new investment in the region, expanding jobs and further developing the regional economy.

The center could aid business development in manufacturing, agri-business and food processing, alternative energy, logistics and distribution and information technology.

Earnings up

Walgreen Co. posted higher second quarter earnings despite lower-than expected sales.

Strategic planning on the company's part helped garner a profit of $669 million, up from $640 million a year ago.

Although same-store sales dipped .2 percent total and 1.6 percent outside the pharmacy, the company saved cash by purchasing less seasonal inventory than past years.

Business workshops

SCORE Counselors to America's Small Business will present a series of free workshops to help entrepreneurs get started forming a business.

The workshops will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday during April at the Flagship Enterprise Center, 2701 Enterprise Drive, Anderson.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling (765) 642-0264 or by e-mailing [email protected].

Assistance program

The United States Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency announced a revised Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers program.

The program provides cash benefits to producers of raw agricultural commodities and fisherman who have been hurt by imports.

The TAAF program provides financial assistance to producers who saw a more than 15 percent decrease in national average price, decrease in production quantity or a severe rise in import competition.

For more information, visit www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa or contact (202) 720-0638.

Wind conference

The annual WIndiana conference will be held in July and is expected to be larger than ever as the state continues to develop wind energy infrastructure.

The conference will feature 15 sessions over two days and will include a bus tour of the Horizon Energy Meadow Lake I wind farm in White County.

Wind farms in the state are currently producing more than 1,000 megawatts of wind power and more than 3,000 megawatts might be produced by 2013.

Breakfast

Subway restaurants will be adding breakfast items to the menu in early April.

Almost all of Subway's 23,000 U.S. restaurants should begin offering breakfast sandwiches on April 5. Sandwiches can include a combination of eggs, egg whites, cheese, ham bacon, steak, sausage, peppers and onions among other toppings.[[In-content Ad]]