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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2010
| CONTACT: |
Jan Kelly, executive director
N.C. Egg Association
(919) 319-1195 |
Kim Decker, marketing specialist
NCDA&CS Marketing Division
(919) 733-7887 |
Pledging to be a ‘good egg’ can help put eggs in food banks
and is a great way to celebrate May as Egg Month
RALEIGH – In celebration of May being recognized as Egg Month, North Carolinians are reminded they can help those less fortunate by pledging to “Eat Good. Do Good Everyday. ”
The pledge is part of the Good Egg Project, a partnership between egg producers and Feeding America, a nationwide hunger relief charity with a network of more than 200 food banks, including seven in North Carolina. For every free pledge made at www.GoodEggProject.org, one egg, up to a total of 1 million, will be donated to Feeding America.
“Because of the economy, a greater number of people have turned to food banks for assistance, putting a strain on these organizations’ resources,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. ”“We have stepped up our efforts as a department to raise awareness of the need that exists. This partnership helps food banks provide a healthy, high-protein food to those in need.”
Eggs are North Carolina’s seventh-largest commodity with nearly $374 million in cash receipts annually. The state is in the top 10 in the country in egg production, accounting for around 4 percent of U.S. production.
Nash, Yadkin, Alexander, Iredell and Union counties are top counties in egg production. Based on the latest numbers, North Carolina farms have 12.4 million egg-producing chickens.
Gov. Bev Perdue recently proclaimed May as Egg Month, in recognition of the nutritional benefits of eggs and the economic impact of the industry.
“Recent research points to eggs as a low-calorie and healthy source of protein and nutrients needed to maintain muscle strength and to promote healthy eyes and healthy pregnancies,” said Jan Kelly, executive director of the N.C. Egg Association. “Whether you prefer yours scrambled, over-easy, fried or in an omelet, there are literally hundreds of ways to use and prepare eggs as part of a healthy diet.”
For more information and recipes on eggs, go to www.ncegg.org.
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