Coalition launches $40 million push to close America’s protein gap

By AI, Created 6:11 AM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – A new public-private coalition led by farmers, protein producers and hunger advocates aims to deliver up to 3 billion protein-rich meals a year and permanently address America’s 800-million-pound charitable protein shortfall. The effort centers on expanding cold storage and distribution infrastructure, with HATCH and the CDC Foundation helping move protein into food banks nationwide.

Why it matters: - The coalition is targeting America’s 800-million-pound annual charitable protein gap, a shortage that affects access to one of the most requested foods in the hunger system. - The initiative aims to improve access to high-quality protein, with expected implications for public health, healthcare costs and economic stability. - The coalition says the effort could deliver up to 3 billion protein-rich meals a year to American families.

What happened: - On the eve of World Hunger Day, farmers, protein producers, hunger advocates and other partners announced the Coalition to Close the Protein Gap. - The initiative is a $40 million public-private effort. - Tony Robbins joined the coalition as a hunger advocate and leader of the 100 Billion Meals Challenge. - Robbins said he has helped provide more than a billion meals across the United States over the last 12 years. - The coalition includes support from HHS, USDA and the CDC Foundation, along with producer groups and hunger advocates.

The details: - Protein makes up only 14% of food distributed in the charitable food system, even though it is the most requested food. - The coalition’s main barrier to closing the gap is logistics and accessibility. - The $40 million will go toward cold storage and infrastructure expansion. - America’s farmers and protein producers will supply protein into the food relief system to help bridge the gap. - The CDC Foundation, with HATCH, is launching a crowdfunding campaign called The Missing Piece. - The campaign asks donors to “Be the Missing Piece” in closing the protein gap. - Donations will support infrastructure needed to move more protein through HATCH’s nationwide distribution network. - A donation link is available at ClosetheProteinGap.org. - HATCH will handle infrastructure and logistics for the effort. - HATCH sources protein directly from U.S. farmers, manages cold-chain logistics and delivers to food banks through a self-sustaining model. - HATCH operated without reliance on ongoing donations and delivered more than 102 million meals across 120 food banks in 2025. - Current coalition members include Cargill, Case Farms, Elanco, Hilmar Cheese, Koch Foods, Mountaire Farms, MPS Egg Farms, Perdue Farms, Rose Acre Farms, Simmons Foods and Tyson Foods. - Supporting organizations include the American Egg Board, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Chicken Council, National Milk Producers Federation, National Pork Producers Council, National Pork Board, National Turkey Federation and Wayne-Sanderson Farms.

Between the lines: - The coalition is positioning supply and infrastructure as a single problem, not two separate ones. - HATCH CEO Daniel Leckie said supply alone and infrastructure alone cannot close the gap; the two must move together. - Jeff Simmons, CEO of Elanco Animal Health and HATCH board chairman, called the effort the most meaningful alignment between government, agriculture and the hunger community in his career. - Simmons said the protein industry has the supply, scale and willingness to help, but needs infrastructure to connect that supply to families. - The coalition is designed as a long-term demand channel that converts American protein supply into nutrition outcomes for American families.

What’s next: - The coalition will use the new capital and distribution network to expand access to protein nationwide. - The Missing Piece campaign will seek public donations to support the infrastructure buildout. - Founding partners say the goal is to permanently close America’s protein gap without relying on ongoing donations. - HATCH says its model is intended to keep delivering protein at scale through partnerships with hunger relief organizations.

The bottom line: - The coalition is trying to turn a recurring hunger-system shortage into a durable supply-and-logistics network for protein distribution across the country.