Farmers and Processors Fight Food Poverty Through Meat Donation Charity

Covid-19 helped start the charity “Meat the Need” seven months ago.

Now, the Tasmanian district farmers behind the charitable food supply chain have been recognized for driving a sustainable network nationwide.

Golden Bay dairy farmer Wayne Langford came up with the idea more than a year ago, with dairywoman Siobhan O’Malley, who recently moved from Motueka to the West Coast.

Langford said it did not seem right that there was “massive food poverty” in New Zealand, when the country produced so much food, exporting 90 percent of its red meat.

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The couple were working with New Zealand’s largest meat processor Silver Fern Farms on how to divert some of the meat to the kiwis that needed it, when Covid-19 hit, he said.

“Several farmers said they wanted to help their local community.

“All of a sudden we got a call from Silver Fern Farms, saying: Can we get this going and how fast can we do it?”

Meat for food banks was processed at Silver Fern Farms processing plants and distributed through the company’s network to transport meat to restaurants across the country, Langford said.

35 South Island food banks now received the 500g mince packets, which were stored in freezers in urban centers until the food banks needed them.

New Zealand farmers have donated more than 600 animals, he said.

“We receive a credit, which we then use to buy back ground meat, if necessary,” Langford said.

“So it’s getting it off the farms in the most efficient way possible.”

O’Malley said Silver Fern Farms’ supply chain “piggy backing” meant Meat the Need did not have to establish its own processing plants and vehicle fleet, thus avoiding additional carbon emissions.

The operation also saved on food waste, as the meat was supplied directly from the processor rather than donated as surplus product, he said.

The model could be used to help feed people on a large scale, in cases such as natural disasters or displacement of people, he said.

“We have the ability to deploy a large quantity of minced meat and send it to that area to help.”

The General Trust Meat the Need, which supplies meat to food banks, is one of eight finalists for “outstanding collaboration” in Thursday’s Sustainable Business Network awards.

NZ King Salmon, Whenua Iti Outdoors and Yum Granola were among other Nelson organizations shortlisted at the annual Sustainable Business Awards.

The awards were to be broadcast live on the Mahitahi Colab, at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology in Nelson, on Thursday, November 19.

The local group, Empresas para la Acción Climática, was to make its official launch along with the online broadcast.

Florence Van Dyke, co-founder of the group, said it would be a good opportunity to learn how companies could “play a vital role in the fight against climate change.”

Aotearoa pledged to achieve zero net carbon emissions in 30 years, and continuing as before was no longer a viable option, Van Dyke said.

The group had worked with more than 200 companies locally to share ideas, resources, and solutions to reduce “carbon hot spots” in each industry.

The group planned to build a movement of committed business leaders who were helping the business community transform, he said.

* Registration is required for the awards event, which will take place from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM on November 19.