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by Annie Cunningham

Food Check-Out Day was celebrated in grand style all over the state the week of Feb. 4 to 8. Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) and county Farm Bureaus drew lots of attention to the affordability of food in America.

Food Check-Out Day commemorates the calendar day when the average American has earned enough income to pay for the entire year’s food supply. This year that day was Feb. 8 – just 39 days into 2002. Food Check-Out Day is calculated using U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics. Americans spend on average just 10.6 percent of their disposable personal income for food.

OFBF, along with Lucas County Farm Bureau, Ohio Grocers Association, Kroger personnel and the Toledo/Northwest Ohio Food Bank, held a well-attended media event at a Kroger store in Toledo. Terry McClure, OFBF president, and Jack Fisher, OFBF executive vice president, spoke about food affordability, agriculture’s role in Ohio and how processors develop food products to fit consumers’ needs. The Lucas County Farm Bureau presented groceries valued at $500 to the Toledo/Northwest Ohio Food Bank. The Food Bank was given 39 bags of groceries, reflecting Food Check-Out Day being the 39^th day of the year.

The event also included a drawing for a $100 Kroger gift certificate. The lucky winner was Evelyn Flowers of Toledo.

Earlier in the week Farm Bureau, Nationwide Sponsor Relations and the Heritage Team hosted a lunchtime display and drawing Feb. 4, at Nationwide's Plaza 1 cafeteria, and Feb. 5, in Nationwide's Plaza 3 cafeteria. A $100 Kroger’s gift certificate was awarded and a $100 donation to Operation Feed on behalf of the gift certificate winner's team/department was made.

On Feb. 6, Ohio Grocers Association and OFBF distributed Food Check-Out Day gifts to legislators at the statehouse. Sen. Larry Mumper, chairman of the Senate Ag Committee, also read a proclamation commemorating Food Check-Out Day.

Elsewhere around Ohio, many county Farm Bureaus held local events with cooperating grocery stores and charities. Heavy media pick-up for these events helped spread the word.

CAPTIONS:

1. Evelyn Flowers (center) received a $100 gift certificate during Food Check-Out Day in Toledo. Joining her, from left, are Melissa Jacobs, OFBF; April Weaver of Kroger; Tracy Swank, Lucas County Farm Bureau president; and Tom Jackson, OGA.

2. Food Check-Out Day grabbed the media's attention around Ohio. Here, OFBF Executive Vice President Jack Fisher is interviewed by one of four TV stations that covered the event in Toledo.

3. Terry McClure, OFBF president, helps load groceries bound for the Northwest Ohio/Toledo Food Bank.

4. Lucas County Farm Bureau member, Margie Schiller, registered Kroger shoppers for prize drawing.