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MISSOULA, Mont. – November 22, 2011 – Well-known rock musician Huey Lewis and his friend John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods, both have a love for music and golf.  However, they also share an interest in hunger relief that has led to a major donation to a network of Montana food banks.

Through Tyson Foods, the two initiated the shipment of more than 30,000 pounds of chicken to the Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN), Montana’s only statewide hunger organization.  The donated food, which is enough to produce 120,000 meals, arrived in Missoula today.

“I’m thankful for my friendship with John and his willingness to help feed people in need here in our state,” said Lewis, who calls Montana home.  “Like many other parts of the country, hunger is a serious concern here, especially with rising food and fuel costs.”

“Our company has been active in hunger relief for more than a decade and we appreciate Huey’s interest in joining us in this effort,” said John Tyson.  “In addition to feeding people, we’re hopeful this donation will also help increase hunger awareness and prompt more people to step forward and get involved."

“We’re grateful for the donation, which boosts our mission to help those who need emergency food,” said Peggy A. Grimes, CEO of the Montana Food Bank Network. “The people we’re helping often work, sometimes in several jobs, yet still don’t make enough money to provide for their families. In fact, based on USDA estimates, more than 30 percent of Montanans are considered to be at risk of hunger.”

The Montana Food Bank Network provides emergency food to 175,000 people across the state through a network of 200 agencies.  In 2010, the Network supplemented local agencies with nearly 8.5 million pounds of food.

Tyson Foods has fought hunger in the U.S. since 2000, donating more than 82 million pounds of protein, or more than 320 million meals. The company partners with Feeding America, the Food Research and Action Center, Share Our Strength, Lift Up America and the League of United Latin American Citizens to raise awareness and help feed the hungry across the nation.

Earlier this year, Tyson launched the “Know Hunger” campaign to raise hunger awareness in the U.S. As part of the campaign, the company released the results of a survey which found that one in four Americans is worried about having enough money to put food on the table in the next year. Another key finding is that many Americans are unaware of how serious hunger is in their own communities.

Meat and poultry are excellent sources of heme iron, which is especially important for women, children and adolescent girls, who are often deficient in iron. For more information on the nutritional value of meat and poultry, go to:

http://www.meatpoultrynutrition.org/ht/d/sp/i/26062/pid/26062

For more information on Tyson’s hunger relief efforts, go to: www.tysonhungerrelief.com

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Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN), founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world's largest processors and marketers of chicken, beef and pork, the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500 and a member of the S&P 500. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves. Tyson provides products and services to customers throughout the United States and more than 130 countries. The company has approximately 115,000 Team Members employed at more than 400 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.

Contact:

Gary Mickelson, 479-290-6111 or gary.mickelson@tyson.com

Kathryn McCleerey, 406-721-3325 or kmccleerey@mfbn.org