Above, L to R: ESE’s Director of Marketing and Co-founder of Mellowship Entertainment, Anne-Alise Pietruska; ESE’s Director of Agriculture, Elena Hovagimian; ESE President and CEO Gene Cassidy; Bob Fastie, Executive Director of the Parish Cupboard in West Springfield, Mass.; Mayor Will Reichelt of West Springfield; Chip Arnold, Board Member for the Parish Cupboard; ESE’s Director of Operations, Steve Ferraro.

Above, L to R: ESE President and CEO Gene Cassidy with Michael Akers, Program Director at Open Pantry in Springfield, Mass.

Above, L to R: ESE President and CEO Gene Cassidy; Keith Rhone, Director of Operations at Friends of the Homeless in Springfield, Mass.; and Jermaine Pam, Food Service Director at Friends of the Homeless.

EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION ROUNDS UP BEEF FROM 4-H SALE FOR DONATION TO HUNGER RELIEF EFFORTS

Annually, the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) Board of Trustees donates beef purchased at The Big E’s 4-H Beef Sale to organizations that combat food insecurity in Western Mass. On Thursday, November 20, ESE President and CEO Gene Cassidy, accompanied by Mayor Will Reichelt of West Springfield and members of the ESE staff, visited The Parish Cupboard, Open Pantry and Friends of the Homeless to donate the beef. Each food shelter received more than 300 lbs. of beef to help those in need in Greater Springfield

The 4-H Beef Program is a staple of the agriculture showcase at The Big E. The program is the culmination of more than a year’s worth of labor and dedication by 4-H students from across New England. The 4-H Beef Sale, the final event of the program, occurs in the Mallary Complex during the Fair and provides an opportunity for buyers to support rising agriculture workers by rewarding their hard work and purchasing a project steer.

This year, the 4-H Beef Sale saw its most successful auction to date; 44 steers were sold at an average of $7.77/lb. Auction sales totaled $424,946, which is a 67% increase from 2024. The ESE Board of Trustees purchased the Highly Commended Overall Steer, which weighed 1,510 lbs. and was raised by Angelina Otero of Conn. The board also purchased the Fifth Place Medium Weight Steer, a 1,270 lb. steer raised by Zoey Violette of Mass.

“The 4-H Beef Program is one of Eastern States Exposition’s time-honored agricultural initiatives,” said ESE President and CEO Gene Cassidy. “The ultimate event of the program, the beef auction, is a fantastic evening that brings together prospective buyers from local businesses, colleges and university food service programs to hungry people, all with a common goal: creating agricultural markets that support our future producers. Our board of trustees is proud to then donate the beef they purchase to nonprofit organizations focused on feeding those in need among us, supporting the community we strive to uplift.”

“We are so grateful that your team comes here, to us,” said Keith Rhone, Director of Operations with Friends of the Homeless. “This donation helps out a lot of people, and it’s great to have you visit.”

It is key that ESE’s year-round programming aligns with its founding purpose: to support agriculture, innovation and education throughout New England and beyond. Students in 4-H learn foundational life skills and responsibilities through initiatives including the 4-H Beef Program at The Big E.

“When you buy from the 4-H Beef Sale,” explained Cassidy, “you’re supporting agriculture, you’re supporting youth and you’re providing for those in need. All the while, you’re getting a great deal on quality beef. The beef sale does a lot of good on a lot of levels.”

This annual donation combats food insecurity at the local level, all while supporting future agriculturists. By buying the steers raised by these youths, and then donating the resulting beef, we bring our mission full circle.