Thanks to collaboration with the international charitable foundation SaveUA and the Longer Tables Fund, AMP member farms will receive 62 diesel generators with capacities of 80 and 100 kilowatts during the spring and summer of 2025—each capable of powering a farm with 200 to 800 cows.
Renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés supports the international charitable foundation SaveUA through his Longer Tables Fund. This new partnership between SaveUA and the Longer Tables Fund will provide timely support to Ukrainian dairy farmers located in frontline areas.
Sixty-two diesel generators with capacities of 80 and 100 kilowatts will be delivered to dairy farms in regions most affected by the war and power outages.
According to Andrii Dykun, founder of the SaveUA foundation, these generators are much more than just a source of electricity—they are vital for the survival of Ukraine's dairy industry. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has continued its targeted attacks on Ukraine's energy system, adversely affecting the population and businesses, especially farmers.
“Due to damage to energy infrastructure, power outages last from several hours to several days, posing a threat to Ukraine's food security. For dairy farms, even 1–2 hours of downtime are critical, leading to losses of at least one liter of daily milk yield, while recovering to previous productivity levels takes months. These generators will power milking equipment and cooling systems, ensuring that farmers can continue their work, support their communities, and feed their people despite immense challenges. This is not just about turning the lights on—this is about supporting Ukraine's economy,” says Andrii Dykun.
The urgent need for reliable alternative power sources for dairy farms was reiterated by the consequences of Russia's energy terror during the record summer heat of 2024. Emergency power outages lasted over 16 hours a day, and farms lacked backup energy sources to protect cows from heat stress, leading to a 20 – 40% decrease in milk yields. Farms that receive the generators house about 40,000 cows, and nearly 1.5 million Ukrainians consume dairy products made from the milk they supply annually. Thanks to this humanitarian aid with generators, they will receive additional support to sustain milk production and ensure the health of their cows.
José Andrés comments: “It is a great honor for me to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainian dairy farmers and support the vital work of SaveUA. I am inspired by the courage and solidarity of these farmers, and I am proud that the acquisition of generators for dairy farms affected by the war will help Ukraine continue to feed its people. Over the past three years, we have learned so much about resilience, innovation, community — and how food can inspire hope. I know this is just the first step in rebuilding Ukraine’s potential in food production on which the world depends, but I hope it brings immediate relief and stability to those feeding their communities.”
José Andrés has spent over 100 days in Ukraine since the invasion began, leading the World Central Kitchen team, which provided over 270 million meals to Ukrainians. Now, Andrés continues to support the people of Ukraine through his Longer Tables Fund, further advancing recovery efforts in Ukraine's hardest-hit regions, leaving no one behind.
The Longer Tables Fund was established in 2023 by Chef José Andrés. This initiative aims to address pressing issues in food systems, social justice, education, and advocacy while uplifting communities.
This is the second joint project of the SaveUA charitable foundation with José Andrés. With the support of WCK, a new humanitarian headquarters was opened in Uman, Cherkasy region, from the very first days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. There, our team assembled and delivered 29,000 food kits weekly to Ukrainians in affected areas. In total, in cooperation with World Central Kitchen (WCK), we provided 250,000 food kits, supplying essential food to approximately 800,000 people.
Press Service of the Association of Milk Producers
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