There’s nothing like sitting around the table enjoying a meal with your family and friends. For many families across the country, that will be possible this year because of the generosity of the Give-A-Ham challenge.
“‘Tis the season of generosity toward those in need, and there’s nothing like gifting the gift of American agriculture,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins shared on Instagram.
Rollins joined the Give-a-Ham challenge after her good friend and Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur recently challenged her to #GiveAHam.
Rollins chose to donate a ham to the team led by Julie Butner at the Tarrant Area Food Bank in Fort Worth, Texas.
“To keep the challenge going, I am passing it on to @RepBrecheen, a loyal champion of the ag community in Oklahoma and beyond!” Rollins said.
The #GiveAHam campaign is full of great stories like this every year all across the country. For example, Seaboard donated a historic 40,000 lb. of pork to the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma —yes, that’s a semi truckload full of pork!
“We are beyond grateful to Seaboard Foods and the Oklahoma Pork Council for their impact on fighting hunger in our state,” says Jeff Marlow, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. “Food insecurity continues to impact over half a million Oklahomans each year. We are all better together and this tremendous donation helps us serve our community and make a significant and immediate difference in the lives of families and individuals in need.”
From Oklahoma to Washington, D.C., and everything in between, the 2025 Give-A-Ham campaign has spurred generosity in remarkable ways, says Tom Layne, board president of the Oklahoma Pork Council (pictured above).
“We are incredibly proud to see farmers, communities and leaders come together to ensure families in need have access to nutritious, delicious protein this holiday season,” Layne says.
How Can You Help?
1. Donate Pork: Buy and donate hams or other pork products to local food pantries, shelters or charities.
2. Share Online: Post a photo or video of your donation on social media (Instagram, Facebook, etc.).
3. Use #GiveAHam Hashtag.
4. Tag and nominate: Tag the organization you donated to, friends, or fellow industry members and challenge them to participate.
5. Help share other #GiveAHam posts to spread the joy.
Why Should You Participate?
Fight Food Insecurity: Provides high-quality protein for families needing holiday meals.
Community Support: A core value for hog farmers and the pork industry to give back.
Inspire Others: Social sharing builds momentum and encourages wider participation.
“We encourage everyone to follow their lead by joining the fun to feed local communities—and keep delicious pork and the spirit of the season in mind year-round,” the National Pork Producers Council said on social media.
Here are just a few of the fun ways people joined the challenge.
The challenge runs through the end of the year, but giving the gift of pork is always in style.
