This may not look like a picture of a food bank event, but that's exactly what it is. Today, Idaho's beef industry joined with the Idaho Foodbank to launch "Beef Counts," a program designed to "provide a consistent supply of much-needed, high-quality beef protein throughout the year to The Idaho Foodbank and those we serve," according to the food bank, which distributes free emergency food from warehouses in Boise, Lewiston and Pocatello through a network of 220 agencies statewide, from rescue missions to soup kitchens.

David Proctor, spokesman for the Idaho Foodbank, said, "This is the first time in the country this partnership with the beef industry has been established. ... Other states are very interested." Beef industry groups involved include the Agri Beef Co., the Idaho Beef Council, and the Idaho CattleWomen Council. The move comes as the economic downturn leaves more and more Idahoans hungry. "Today, the face of hunger is our neighbor, our friends and sometimes even members of our family," the food bank said in announcing the new program.