Triscuit and Urban Farming Pledge to Build 50 Community-Based Home Farms in 2010

EAST HANOVER, N.J., March 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Triscuit wants Americans to discover the simple joy of growing and sharing their own herbs and vegetables.  Today the brand announced the launch of the Triscuit "Home Farming" movement and its collaboration with Urban Farming, a non-profit organization, to create 50 community-based home farms across the country in 2010.

Home Farming is about growing your own herbs and vegetables, no matter where you live. To help people on their path to Home Farming, four million packages of Original and Reduced-Fat Triscuit crackers will include cards with basil or dill herb seeds that can be planted directly into the ground.  An interactive Web-based community, www.triscuit.com/homefarming, helps to plant the seeds of success with tips from master gardener Paul James and information about how people can start their own home farm or volunteer at an Urban Farming location.

Americans Getting "Back to Simple"

A recent Triscuit survey found nearly two-thirds of Americans are interested in growing food in a backyard garden.  And three out of four of those surveyed prefer to eat foods with a few, simple ingredients(1), reflecting a popular desire to get back to the simple joys in life.  

"At Triscuit, simple authentic goodness is found on the farms, where the soft white wheat in Triscuit crackers is grown, and carried through to every cracker we make," said Jim Low, director of marketing for Triscuit at Kraft Foods.  "That is why we're excited to invite Americans to join our 'Home Farming' movement, whether it's in a backyard, on a windowsill, or in a plot shared among neighbors.  Everyone can get involved."

Triscuit Helping Home Farmers in the Community

Triscuit and Urban Farming will collaborate to create 50 community-based home farms across the U.S., launching with a groundbreaking ceremony in Los Angeles on March 11th at St. Stephen's and the Jubilee Consortium. Following the groundbreaking event, 49 additional farms will be planted from coast to coast in such cities as Dallas, Detroit, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tampa, to name just a few. The farms will provide local residents and community groups with the opportunity to volunteer to maintain the farm and enjoy the local produce grown in their neighborhood.  Led by Urban Farming Executive Director and Founder Taja Sevelle, these community-based home farms will bring much needed sustenance to deserving communities around the country.  

"The mission of Urban Farming is to create an abundance of food on unused land and space and help uplift communities. Partnering with Triscuit to create the 'Home Farming' movement was a natural fit," said Ms. Sevelle. "By providing communities the opportunity to grow their own food, we're helping them get back to basics and enjoy something as simple as nurturing the vegetables and herbs they will eat from planting to harvest."

Triscuit Helping Home Farmers at Home

Two of the biggest obstacles people face in starting a home farm are time and space.  In fact, over half of Americans (56%) who did not grow food last year said it was because of lack of time and/or space.  "The Gardener Guy" Paul James has been enlisted to help people have a fun, easy and successful journey.  James provides tips that appear on www.triscuit.com/homefarming and will be on-site at select groundbreaking events to help educate families and individuals about growing and planting in home farms and community-based home farms.

"A lot goes into growing your own food at home, but Triscuit has made it easy to have a green thumb," said Paul James, Master Gardener and host of the HGTV show Gardening by the Yard.  "With seed cards and instructions on Triscuit packages, families can get a little head start on how to plant and enjoy foods right in their own backyard or windowsill."

Home Farming on the Web

For tips from Master Gardener Paul James and tools for starting a farm at home or in your hometown, please visit www.triscuit.com/homefarming. The Web site also provides a full list of cities participating in the community-based home farm program and details about where people can volunteer or get started with their own community-based home farm.

Triscuit is a proud supporter of the National FFA Organization (FFA) providing sustainability programs for FFA student members.  

About Kraft Foods

The combination of Kraft Foods and Cadbury creates a global powerhouse in snacks, confectionery and quick meals.  With annual revenues of approximately $50 billion, the combined company is the world's second largest food company, making delicious products for billions of consumers in more than 160 countries.  The combined company's portfolio includes 11 iconic brands with revenues exceeding $1 billion – Oreo, Nabisco and LU biscuits; Milka and Cadbury chocolates; Trident gums; Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees; Philadelphia cream cheeses; Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; and Oscar Mayer meats.  Another 70+ brands generate annual revenues of more than $100 million.  Kraft Foods (www.kraftfoodscompany.com; NYSE: KFT) is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index.

About Urban Farming

Urban Farming's mission is to create an abundance of food for people in need by planting gardens on unused land and space while increasing diversity, educating youth, adults and seniors and providing an environmentally sustainable system to uplift communities.  For more information, visit www.urbanfarming.org.

About The National FFA Organization (FFA)

FFA is a national non-profit organization dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more information, visit www.ffa.org.

About Paul James

Paul began gardening in earnest in 1979, the year he and his wife, Carrie, got married and purchased their first home. As an undergraduate, Paul received numerous awards for his research in analytical chemistry. He also studied botany, plant physiology, and plant pathology. In 1983, he received his master gardener certification. In addition to writing and producing 26 episodes of "Gardening by the Yard" each year, Paul travels coast to coast making personal appearances. He has also hosted HGTV's live coverage of the Tournament of Roses Parade on HGTV for ten years.

(1) The Triscuit Home Farming Study, fielded by StrategyOne, is a national telephone survey among a representative sample of 1,018 U.S. adults conducted January 14, 2010 and January 17, 2010. Margin of error on total results (N=1,018) + or - 3.1%.

SOURCE Kraft Foods