As Meat the Need’s founding partner, Silver Fern Farms is pleased to celebrate the first anniversary of the charity. The milestone provides an opportunity to reflect on Meet the Need’s success to date in delivering over 410,000 nutritious red meat meals to foodbanks across New Zealand in the first year and the ambitious goal for its second year to double that figure and deliver nearly one million meals.

Following a successful pilot in Christchurch in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, Meat the Need scaled-up rapidly in its first year and now supplies high-quality natural beef mince to more than 50 foodbanks throughout New Zealand.

The charity, created by YOLOFarmer Wayne Langford and Siobhan O’Malley of Pukeko Pastures, enables farmers to help feed Kiwi families in need by providing the means for them to donate livestock through its charitable supply chain. Silver Fern Farms plays a pivotal role in this supply chain by processing the livestock to create high-quality natural beef mince and facilitating the delivery of the end-product to foodbanks.

Meat the Need co-founder Wayne Langford says the high levels of support from the farming community, alongside the support from Silver Fern Farms, are critical to the charity’s success to date.

“Many New Zealanders have needed a hand-up this past year and farmers have really stepped up to the plate in giving generously to Meat the Need. Silver Fern Farms has also played a key role in promoting this with their network of farmers, processing the livestock and facilitating the distribution of the meat. With their support, our supply chain is going from strength-to-strength,” says Wayne.

Silver Fern Farms’ Group Marketing Manager Nicola Johnston says the company’s support of the charity was inspired by Silver Fern Farmers themselves, who were actively looking for ways to give back to their communities.

“Silver Fern Farmers produce some of the best red meat in the world, which is something they believe all New Zealanders should benefit from. As key players in our food-producing nation, they are passionate about helping the efforts to ensure no Kiwi goes hungry,” says Nicola.

Meat the Need is one initiative in Silver Fern Farms’ wider Sustainable Chain of Care programme, which is committed to making a difference by investing in local communities, sustainability and the environment.

Farmers who supply livestock to Silver Fern Farms can donate the value for an agreed number of livestock into the Meat the Need charity fund through a simple booking process. Other farmers and the general public can also support Meat the Need by making donations via its website: MeattheNeed.org.

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