INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Junior Beef Cattle Association has awarded $500 grants to two Indiana programs. This is the third year for the IJBCA to offer a grant to youth organizations in Indiana. The purpose of the IJBCA Grant is to fund organizations that intend to further support and promote Indiana’s beef industry. 

The grant recipients were the Macy Food Pantry Backpack Program and Hanford Packing LLC.

The Macy Food Pantry Backpack Program is a way to send home healthy, shelf stable food for food insecure children in their community. They are looking to use the grant to purchase more beef products to provide within these meals to ensure children are getting protein. 

Hanford Packing LLC is going to use the grant money to purchase a Jarvis Buster IV Beef Splitting Saw. Nicole Hayden, owner of Hanford Packing, says, “Picture perfect rib steaks and porterhouses will be the product of this perfection, but a happy client base is the greater reward because we know the farmer who raised the beef will be appreciated as well.” With Hanford Packing being the processor for Porter County and Lake County 4-H animals, they give the 4-Her’s the opportunity to visit the shop to examine the carcass and understand the process. Many other judging teams and schools utilize their shop, so it is essential to have the proper by-the-book split. With the owners being lifelong supporters of the IJBCA, they know how important it is to educate the public about the industry and all the hard work that goes into it.