Coterra Energy Shows Its Commitment to Rural America: Oil and Gas Being One of Those Industries That Cares

The oil and gas industry is as blue-collar as it gets in big business. It understands what few of our city cousins who run all those environmental NGOs care to grasp. They are content not knowing how their food and energy is produced and then lecturing the producers on how they should act. Oil and gas producers do know, though, and they appreciate their partners in Rural America who work with them to get the energy out of the ground.

No better example of this appreciation is offered than Coterra Energy's support of the ‘Fill A Glass With Hope’ dairy project, a story told in this news release from the company:

Farmers and other ag producers are the lifeblood of the communities in which companies like Coterra Energy work. The Pennsylvania Farm Show, held each January in Harrisburg, gives Coterra and other companies in the Marcellus Shale an opportunity to thank those who work so hard to feed us and provide us with other commodities.

While the official opening day of the 109th PA Farm Show was Jan. 5, the famous Food Court at the PA Farm Show Complex was open to the public for the evening of Jan. 4. PA Agricultural Secretary Russell Redding and representatives of Feeding Pennsylvania, the PA Dairymen’s Association and the American Dairy Association were on hand to kick off the Fill a Glass With Hope campaign with those in attendance joining him in a toast with the Dairymen’s ever-popular Farm Show Milkshakes.

“We stand with the Dairymen of Pennsylvania,” Redding said to the crowd. “The ‘Fill a Glass’ is something that is more than just the nutrition in the glass.”

“The Dairy farmers in Pennsylvania recognized that milk is one of the most requested items in the food bank,” said PA Dairymen’s Association chairman David Smith. Milk is considered is considered one of the most nutrient-dense products that can be distributed to families in need.

Kicking off the annual Fill a Glass with Hope campaign at the 2024 Pennsylvania Farm Show with Farm Show milkshakes from the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association were (from left) Weis Markets director of public relations Dennis Curtin, Coterra Energy manager of government affairs Bill desRosiers, and PA Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding.

Fill a Glass with Hope, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, has now provided more than 41 million servings of milk through nine regional food banks to help serve the more than 1.2 million Pennsylvanians facing hunger and food insecurity. This year’s total raised was more than $180,000.

“Coterra is proud to be among the ‘Keystone Sponsors’ to contribute $25,000 toward this successful initiative,” said Coterra’s Bill desRosiers. To date, Coterra has contributed well over $125,000 toward the initiative. Coterra’s contribution comes back to people in need in northeastern Pennsylvania via the CEO Weinberg Food Bank, whosedirector of resource development for the northeast region, Gretchen Hunt, represented Coterra at the event.

“We serve families in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties,” Hunt explained. She agrees that milk is often requested but fulfilling that request can be challenging.

“Prices are regulated and sales dates are regulated. You can only sell it and donate it up to certain date,” said Hunt. “We get a lot of donations from the food system, but we don’t get many donations of fluid milk for that reason. So this Fill a Glass With Hope program allows us to purchase milk on the same timeline and quality as your grocery store would.”

Food banks across the Commonwealth experienced an unprecedented increase in need during and shortly after the pandemic. Despite most people getting back to work and the kinks in the supply chain having worked themselves over the past few years, food insecurity looms as an issues with which families are still struggling.

“It’s hard to believe, but there’s more demand now than there was after the pandemic,” Hunt stated. “Now, we are just seeing the results of inflation and higher costs of everything. Families that were never in a position of need before are finding themselves without enough food and needing assistance.”

All of Coterra’s recent contribution goes directly to the purchase of milk, Hunt maintained. At current prices, she estimates that Coterra’s donation will help the CEO Weinberg Food Bank provide milk for 19,000 local families.

Let this stand as a reminder to Rural America that the oil and gas industry has its back. Let it also serve to remind our city cousins that energy doesn’t come from a light switch or thermostat and Rural America needs their support as well.

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