Tony and Dolly Ellis

GREENVILLE, S.C., Feb. 18, 2008 – More than 40 Greenville-area hunger relief agencies received some much-needed assistance today, thanks to the efforts of Tyson Foods, Inc., (NYSE:TSN), Lift Up America and student-athletes and coaches from Furman University. Coach Bobby Lamb and approximately 12 members of the football team helped a team of 25 volunteers unload a truckload of protein products donated by Tyson Foods today near West End Field. The truck contained more than 30,000 pounds of protein products that were distributed to area hunger relief agencies.
“This event is a great way to show the university’s commitment and support for the Greenville community,” said Lamb. “Our players are proud to volunteer their time to the Lift Up America program and to help distribute this donation from Tyson Foods that will make such a difference to people in need. Like the many other volunteers who are here today, we are here because Greenville is where we live and work, too.”

BOCA RATON, Fla., February 19, 2008 – The Chief Executive Officer of Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) today announced the donation of a truckload of much needed protein to the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, Inc. and the Daily Bread Food Bank in West Palm Beach. Richard L. Bond made the stop as part of his visit to southeast Florida for the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference.

The announcement ceremony was attended by Boca Raton city officials, child development center representatives, food bank representatives and Tyson Team Members. The donation of more than 35,000 pounds of protein products, which is the equivalent of 140,000 meals, was split between the center and the food bank.

“The generosity that Tyson Foods has shown today is extraordinary. The need for protein is always high, but even more so now when donations are down and children who need it most do not have access to food other than what we can provide for them,” said Doug Paton, chief executive officer of the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers. "Tyson Foods is helping us make a difference in the lives of our children in Boca Raton and Southern Palm Beach County.”

Florence Fuller has provided quality early childhood education and care for 36 years delivering programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and after school, and summer camp. Qualified children come from low income homes, teenage parents, migrant farm worker families or abused or neglected circumstances, and they represent a number of different cultural backgrounds. Services include daily meals, hearing and vision screening, dental checkups with remedial services as needed, family counseling, speech therapy and more.

In May of 2000, Tyson Foods made a formal commitment to the fight against hunger, pledging to donate 10 million pounds of protein over a three year period to hunger relief organizations. On February 6, the company made a donation which brought their total protein contributions to date to 50 million pounds

“The seven-year commitment by our company and our Team Members has provided valuable protein for more than 200 million meals to our nation’s children and families in need,” said Bond. “This has been an unwavering commitment to the critical problem we face in this country, and I’m proud of our Team Members and our customers who have joined us in this fight.”

“Last year, Tyson Foods partnered with America’s Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network donating nearly 9 million pounds of protein,” added Judith Gatti, Executive Director of Daily Bread Food Bank, member of America’s Second Harvest network.  “We gratefully acknowledge the company’s continued support and commitment to helping end hunger in this country.  The people of Tyson have identified themselves as a great corporate citizen.  We could not do it without them.”

DENVER – Nov. 30, 2007 – Lift Up America and the Denver Nuggets teamed up with Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) to help bring the gift of food to the area's less fortunate on Dec. 4, 2007. The entire team was on hand to help unload a truck containing more than 30,000 pounds of protein products to be distributed among 30 hunger relief agencies selected in partnership by the Nuggets and Food Bank of the Rockies  in the Denver area. The event was held at the Pepsi Center.

“Our partnership and team spirit between these great organizations has a tremendous impact,” said Dave Hannah, CEO of Lift Up America. “It is truly inspirational to see so many entities coming together with such a noble goal in mind.” 
 

 “We’re honored to join forces with such caring organizations to help the people of the Denver area,” said John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods. “We hope our contribution inspires others to participate in the fight against hunger.”

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Jan. 24, 2008 – The fight against hunger in the Winston-Salem area got some help today from Tyson Foods, Inc., (NYSE: TSN), Lift Up America and student athletes from Wake Forest University.  Players and coaches from several Wake Forest sports teams help unload a truckload of protein products donated by Tyson Foods today at Groves Stadium.  The truck contained more than 26,000 pounds of protein products that were distributed among 18 hunger relief agencies.
“Voice of the Deacons” Stan Cotton; coaches and athletes from the university’s football, soccer and women’s field hockey teams; cheerleaders; the Demon Deacon mascot and members of the Pep Band all worked alongside volunteers to unload the truck and distribute the donated protein to representatives from local hunger relief agencies. 
“Our partnership and team spirit between these great organizations has a tremendous impact,” said Dave Hannah, CEO of Lift Up America. “It is truly inspirational to see so many entities coming together with such a noble goal in mind.”
  “We appreciate the dedication that the students and coaches associated with Wake Forest University’s athletic department demonstrate, both on the field and off, said John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods. “We also appreciate their assistance today as we work together to fight hunger in the Winston-Salem area.” Approximately 70 students and coaches representing Wake Forest University participated in today’s event.ts and coaches representing the University of Arkansas at today’s event.

University of Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long helps the Razorbacks, Lift Up America and Tyson make a donation to agencies of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., Jan. 26, 2008 – Today Arkansas Razorback student-athletes and coaches joined Tyson Foods, Inc., (NYSE:TSN) and Lift Up America to help fight hunger in Northwest Arkansas. Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long and student-athletes from the football team and women’s volleyball team helped volunteers unload a truckload of protein products donated by Tyson Foods today at Donald W. Reynolds Stadium.  The truck contained more than 30,000 pounds of protein products that were distributed to area hunger relief agencies served by the Northwest  Arkansas Food Bank.

The event is the most recent of 11 Lift Up America events in which Tyson Foods has participated since September, partnering professional athletes and university student-athletes to distribute a total of more than 330,000 pounds of protein to agencies serving people in need. This is the second year the Lift Up America event has been hosted by the University of Arkansas.

“The University of Arkansas’ Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is proud to partner with such outstanding organizations to reach out to people in Northwest Arkansas and beyond,” Long said. “We are excited about the opportunity to join with a tremendous supporter of Razorbacks Athletics in John Tyson and Tyson Foods in supporting Lift Up America. One of our primary responsibilities as administrators and coaches is to teach our student-athletes the importance of giving back to their community, including assisting those who need a helping hand. This is an ideal opportunity to put that philosophy into action and most importantly make a difference in peoples’ lives.”

Dave Hannah, CEO of Lift Up America, who attended today’s event, said, “The partnership between Tyson Foods and Lift Up America has had a great impact on hunger all across the country.”
 
“Tyson Foods has worked with the Lift Up America program for the past four years,” said John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods. “We appreciate the hard work that the athletes and teams have done to fight hunger in their communities, and today we are proud to be in our own community, working with the Razorbacks to help with hunger relief here in our own backyard.” Athletic Director Jeff Long joined approximately 35 students and coaches representing the University of Arkansas at today’s event.

Grain is a major input cost, either direct or indirect, in so much of what we buy at the grocery store.  Since the end of 2005, corn prices have risen from under $2 a bushel, recently peaking at over $5 a bushel. 

Prices of staples such as eggs, milk and bread have risen dramatically in the past year.

  
Sadly, it appears food inflation has only just begun.  This week Tyson announced significant price increases on our products.  It's something we've been forced to do.  The ongoing manufacture of products at a financial loss is not a sustainable practice.

Consumers on the marginal end of the income scale are obviously going to feel the pain most acutely.  With rising energy costs, more and more will be forced into the kinds of choices we've all been advocating to eliminate.

Those of us who are in-kind donors in the fight against hunger are also going to have to manage our inventories more closely and efficiently than ever before to stay in business.  In all probability there will be less product available for donation to emergency food assistance.   At a time when the need is greatest.

Unfortunately, our government's own well-intended policies have helped set this stage.   In an effort to reduce our dependency on foreign energy, we have inadvertently placed more Americans at risk of food insecurity.

We believe this is a discussion that should be occurring among hunger advocates. 

Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute offers an interesting--and sobering--articulation of this concern.

A donation commemorating 50 million pounds of Tyson products donated to hunger relief since 2000 was made at the Arkansas Capitol on February 6, 2008.

In May of 2000, Tyson Foods made a formal commitment to play an important role in the fight against hunger.  At that time, we pledged to donate ten million pounds of Tyson products over a three year period, to organizations feeding hungry people.  

On February 6, Tyson made a donation representing 50 million pounds of food donated to hunger and disaster relief since our initial commitment.  That’s protein for 200 million meals.

If you filled trucks with all of that product and lined them bumper-to-bumper, the line would stretch for twenty miles.  That’s a lot of hungry people fed.

Additionally, Tyson Team Members all across the company have become personally and passionately engaged in the fight against hunger in their own communities, volunteering  with food banks and food pantries, and raising funds for childhood hunger in Powering the Spirit campaigns.

This remarkable milestone is possible because of the hard work of all Tyson Team Members, who contribute to making and selling our products.  Each of us should be proud of our own part in this contribution. 

At Tyson, we stay in business by selling food to people who can afford it.  It’s only right that we’re also in the business of helping people who can’t afford it.