A coalition of farmers, protein producers, and hunger advocates announced on May 27 a $40 million public-private initiative aimed at bridging the 800-million-pound annual protein deficit in the U.S. charitable food system.
Jeff Simmons, CEO of Elanco and chairman of HATCH, introduced the Coalition to Close the Protein Gap on the eve of World Hunger Day. The coalition’s goal is to increase animal protein in U.S. food banks from 14% to over 20% within three years, delivering an estimated 3 billion protein-rich meals annually.
Simmons said, “Your product has never mattered more. We have moved from ‘this is hunger’ to ‘this is healthcare and well-being.’ The most demanded product in food today is the food from American protein producers. We are creating a new market that is going to change lives and create 3 billion more meals and create a new market for animal protein.”
The initiative will redirect high-value but lower-demand items such as ground pork, hams, and poultry leg quarters away from volatile export markets into domestic supply chains for charitable distribution. Investments will be made into specialized processing lines, cold storage facilities, and distribution support so packing plants can prepare products specifically for food pantries.
Simmons emphasized that this approach is not charity but follows a “cost-plus” model used by HATCH for a decade: “This is a sustainable, value-driven system,” he said. “HATCH sources protein directly from U.S. farmers without reliance on ongoing donations. It’s a self-sustaining model where farmers can make a profit on their lower-demanded protein, and food banks get a consistent supply way under their typical budget. Everybody wins.”
The effort has received $15 million in combined support from federal agencies including the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS), along with backing from industry leaders such as Elanco, Tyson Foods, Cargill, Perdue Farms, Hilmar Cheese Company, Rose Acre Farms; major checkoff organizations; and advocacy figures like Tony Robbins.
Tony Robbins said, “Millions of American families are going without the protein they need, and our farmers are already raising it. The protein gap shouldn’t exist.” Daniel Leckie, CEO of HATCH, added: “A decade of operations taught us one thing: supply alone doesn’t close the gap, and infrastructure alone doesn’t close the gap… They must move together.”
In five years’ time, organizers envision permanent “meat cases” in food pantries supported by robust infrastructure for freezers and transportation—a development intended to offer producers greater domestic stability while improving access to nutritious foods across communities.
