Warren Buffett's son tackles hunger in rural America

(CBS News) DECATUR, Ill. - Billionaire Warren Buffett is well known for his charity work and so is his son Howard. On Thursday, Howard Buffett announced a new partnership to feed the needy with the food processing giant Archer Daniels Midland and Feeding America, a national hunger charity.

Howard Buffett owns a 3,000-acre farm in Decatur, Illinois. Atop his tractor, he can see America's "bounty." But not far from here, he sees folks with almost nothing.

"You're from one of the wealthiest families in America," Doane said to Buffett. "Do you really see [and] understand hunger?"

"No. I wouldn't understand hunger," responded Buffett, "because my kids have never been hungry. I've never put them to bed hungry. I've never been hungry. What I can understand is the humiliation, the frustration, even the embarrassment of some people who have to walk into a food bank for the first time and ask for help."

Buffett is well known for his anti-hunger efforts overseas. We met him this winter in Africa.

Howard Buffett: Farming and finance
Video: Buffett's farming crusade

Now he thinks he and his fellow farmers should pay attention to the need here at home.

"I went and visited food banks," he said. "I started to see a picture that I don't think a lot of Americans see: Millions of our neighbors that don't have enough food to eat on a regular basis.

The "Invest an Acre" program that Buffett announced Thursday will allow the 80,000 farmers who use processing plants run by Archer Daniels Midland to donate the profits from at least an acre of their land.

The profits from this acre of corn might be only around $100 or $200, but $100 is enough to help provide 800 food bank meals. So multiply that acre after acre after acre -- and that could make a real difference in these communities.

The money will go to thousands of Feeding America food pantries primarily in the Midwest. Buffett's foundation will cover up to $3 million in administrative costs.

The goal is to help people including Richard Roof, an out-of-work plumber. He picked up a box from a Decatur pantry. It's one day he doesn't have to ask his grown kids for food.

"What would you do without a program like this here?" Doane asked Roof.

"Starve."

"It's that simple?"

"Plain and simple."

Howard Buffet said: "I don't think the level of hunger in this country is acceptable. Not for the kind of society that we are. It is absolutely not acceptable."

What is acceptable, said Buffett, is planting seeds for a solution -- one acre at a time.

[Beginning2write]

Living in Decatur IL. There are vacant lots in the poorest of neighborhood, Old Kings Orchard. Legend is it was once an orchard.
The city is an island in the midst of farmland. Unemployement is 11%, the povery rate is 20%. Yet there is a need for FoodBanks and FoodPantries.
Writing this with a wish, a feature film where the backdrop of vacant lots become gardens and appletrees do not waste their fruit on the ground.
founder-Decatur Is Growing Gardeners

[a_-n_-n]

Warren Buffet donated his fortune to the Bill Gates foundation that has a major multifaceted support to Americans to combat homelessness, support youth with College/University funds and empowering community projects with support as well as emergency relief funds. So quick to criticize the good the man is doing. He is sharing wealth in a strategic way. He is very smart and admire his efforts to make a real difference but no just through money and handouts. Way to go Warren Buffett and Bill Gates!

[haydenma]

I commend Mr Buffet and I am a REPUBLICAN! This is what our country is all about, people with the means to help others, willingly and lovingly helping those that don't. NOT the government confiscating our hard earned wealth, but people freely giving out of their abundance.
What do the top stars in Hollywood do with the $20 mil they make per movie? Do they need that much money? Can they spare a mil to feed the local homeless for a year? Start a home for folks on the mend or to transition them to a home of their own? Why does the government have to do what loving, generous Americans could and should be doing?

[haydenma]

I commend Mr Buffet and I am a REPUBLICAN! This is what our country is all about, people with the means to help others, willingly and lovingly helping those that don't. NOT the government confiscating our hard earned wealth, but people freely giving out of their abundance.
What do the top stars in Hollywood do with the $20 mil they make per movie? Do they need that much money? Can they spare a mil to feed the local homeless for a year? Start a home for folks on the mend or to transition them to a home of their own? Why does the government have to do what loving, generous Americans could and should be doing?

[JT107]

There are a lot of clueless people posting nonsense here who don't know what they are talking about. Just pure heartless jerks in life.

One thing I have learned in life, is that its usually the Republicans who post the heartless comments like what is posted here. I can pretty much guarantee it. They are the same type of people who go around beating up the homeless.

[blaastaz]

Ok so I am guessing you are a Dem. One of those big government supporters. I bet you voted for Obamacare and all the other programs that control the peoples lives whether they like it or not or can afford it or not. Yes take this opportunity to bash republicans as heartless jerks. Maybe if you are lucky people might believe that crap.

[Rachelleb88]

I am shocked that this article doesn't care to mention 'Food stamps.' Come on! People don't starve in the US, unless they are mentally incapacitated. I grew up poor during the 70's and 80's, with a single parent who never managed to keep it together, I know first hand the world of food stamps and food banks. If someone is out of work, and they are not making an income, they can collect food stamps (now actually a card). Sure people fall on hard times...but out of work Americans are entitled to food stamps and free training through a Pell Grant. People from other countries risk their lives for the opportunity to live in our ghettos and take advantage of our social services so they can pull themselves up and begin a new life, many who don't even speak English. All I hear these days are excuses from American citizens, who should be training themselves with new skills, instead of complaining and marching against Wall Street. Come on people, roll up your sleeves...and lets go back to personal accountability and when American Pride meant something!

[JT107]

Typical reply from an obvious rich person who knows nothing about it.

[JT107]

Your post is totally uncalled for and heartless. Perhaps one day you will be homeless. There are no guarantees in life.

[SwiftyMorgan]

Buffett notes that the "current levels of poverty is unacceptable." What levels of poverty ARE acceptable. There are places call Real Life and Reality to which I don't think he seems to have been. Talk to some people who have truly been hungry, not just for a day, but for part of a lifetime, then get back to me.

[krotec54]

Do the Buffets know what Food Stamps are used for? The poor he is talking about must be illegal.

[jt92202]

That is a really stupid comment, there are many people that make too much to be on food stamps but don't have the money to feed their family!! Food banks are nessasary for those people! There is nothing wrong with giving to the food bank, not sure this is the way to do it but it's an idea! How about the government allowing farmers to farm their fields and give to the food bank instead of making farmland sit because they don't want too much food out on the open market!!

[longtree-2009]

we all already pay taxes and that should be used to feed the hungry rather than to pay for wars in iraq and afghanistan. obama spent one billion in military missions to overthrow qaddafi when he could have spent it to feed the hungry here in the USA. millions homeless including children, millions hungry, yet obama cared more about overthrowing qaddafi and continuing wars in afghanistan, after bin laden was assassinated, and iraq. if people really cared about others in the USA, they would be donating at least 10% of their gross income to an honest charity and the IRS could provide the stats to prove contributions are at a certain level or higher. but we already pay federal, state, county, city, sales taxes so why not use that money to feed the hungry. the buffets can donate 300 million annually between them, no doubt, and that would feed many. all billionaires here in the USA could each donate 100 million to feed the hungry annually and not even miss it.

[argotmay]

I am poor/earn $10 hr. I grow organic, heirloom food to give away to food banks and neighbors. I go to the food bank to get food I can't afford, but need and can't grow - sometimes. I won't eat food from Arthur Daniels Midland, anything gmo, anything high corn syrup. I quit meat, and am cutting stuff off from the top of the food chain. Fukushima radiation is all in that stuff now. Anyway- it's EASY to grow literally TONS of food on less than a city lot....all by seed....

[Yellowbird5411]

Outstanding! There is more "acreage" in American's back yards than in all the farmland of America, and for the most part, it lies unused. People who don't like to grow gardens, or can't due to physical problems, can plant some fruit/nut trees which take no/little need for care. Today is Earth Day. I bought a naval orange tree to plant next to the star fruit tree I planted last year, along with two guava trees and another orange tree. In the back yard I planted loquat seeds in containers and have two big trees now. I also planted seeds for papaya, and one is now 20' tall. Another two kinds I planted were fig and mango. I don't have much money, but seeds don't cost much. In fruits from the store, they are free. In the alley behind my house grapefruit lie rotting because my neighbor has trees, and cannot control all the fruit it sheds. No one comes by to pick them up. I maintain there is enough free fruit growing around the cities and wild to feed anyone that is hungry.