BASF Agricultural Solutions donates 100,000 meals to help FCC Drive Away Hunger

Calgary, Alberta, Sept. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BASF Agricultural Solutions has partnered with Farm Credit Canada's (FCC) Drive Away Hunger campaign to bring meals to those in their communities that need it most. BASF marks its first year of national partnership with a donation of 100,000 meals to the communities where BASF employees live and work.

"Now more than ever, our communities need our help," said Jonathan Sweat, Vice President, Business Management, Agricultural Solutions for BASF Canada. "We believe that access to food is a basic human right, not a privilege. As an integral part of the food value chain in Canada, we also believe that it is our responsibility to help. While a lot has changed in 2020, hunger hasn't."

There are over a million visits to Canadian food banks every month, and that was before COVID-19 increased demand. BASF's donation will go directly to the communities in which it operates, including Calgary and Lethbridge, Alberta; Regina and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Winnipeg, Manitoba, and London, Ontario. Earlier this year. BASF and its employees donated more than $64,000 to Food Banks Canada during its virtual food drive that was launched in response to the pandemic. 

Drive Away Hunger started in 2004 when an FCC employee travelled across Canada in an open-cab tractor trailer for eight days collecting almost 60,000 pounds of food. The campaign has grown to become the largest food drive in Canada, with 100 per cent of donations directly benefiting local charities.

"FCC Drive Away Hunger is a great opportunity for Canada's agriculture and food industry to pull together in support of people in our communities who may be less fortunate or going through difficult times," said Michael Hoffort, FCC president and CEO. "We are proud to have so many community-minded industry partners, such as BASF Agricultural Solutions, who contribute to the success of this program through their generous donations to Canadian food banks."

"We're proud to be partnering with other like-minded Canadians in the FCC Drive Away Hunger campaign. Together, millions of meals will be provided to families and individuals in need and we look forward to this first-year of partnership growing into a long-term promise where BASF contributes to supporting food security for all Canadians", Sweat added.

About BASF's Agricultural Solutions division

With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Working with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others, it is our role to help make this possible. That's why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline and broad portfolio, including seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we connect innovative thinking and down-to-earth action to create real world ideas that work ? for farmers, society and the planet. In 2019, our division generated sales of ?7.8 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.

About BASF

BASF Canada, headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, has over 1,200 employees at production facilities and offices located across Canada. BASF Canada is a subsidiary of BASF SE, and an affiliate of BASF Corporation. To find out more about BASF's activities in Canada, visit www.basf.com/ca or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/basfcanada.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of ?59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.

About Farm Credit Canada (FCC)

FCC is Canada's leading agriculture and food lender, with a healthy loan portfolio of more than $38 billion. Our employees are dedicated to the future of Canadian agriculture and food. We provide flexible, competitively priced financing, management software, information and knowledge specifically designed for the agriculture and food industries. As a self-sustaining Crown corporation, we provide an appropriate return to our shareholder, and reinvest our profits back into the industries and communities we serve. For more information, visit fcc.ca.