It's been one year since charity Meat the Need was set up during lockdown in 2020.
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 supplied beef mince to more than 50 foodbanks throughout New Zealand.
The charity, created by YOLO Farmer Wayne Langford and Siobhan O'Malley of Pukeko Pastures, enabled farmers to help feed Kiwi families in need by providing the means for them to donate livestock through its charitable supply chain.
Since then, Meat the Need had delivered over 410,000 red meat meals to foodbanks across New Zealand.
The support from the farming community had been "incredible," especially during Covid-19 restrictions, Langford said.
"It was really fantastic that a number of farmers jumped on board and got behind us early, which meant that we had some momentum to really get started and start getting mince out to foodbanks," he told The Country's Jamie Mackay.
Meat the Need had an ambitious goal for its second year - to double its success and deliver nearly 1 million meals.
Meat the Need co-founders Wayne Langford and Siobhan O'Malley. Photo / Supplied
Langford hoped that doubling the target would get the same response from farmers, and the Meat the Need would become "a long term fixture" in the primary sector.
"I'm hoping farmers that have donated will get in behind it again and will certainly bring on some others as well, as awareness of what we're doing is starting to grow."
Silver Fern Farms processed the livestock and facilitated the delivery of the end-product to foodbanks.
"It's just been a really good cause to get in behind and [we] applaud the vision that Wayne's brought to this," Silver Fern Farms Agribusiness strategic solutions manager Greg McSkimming told The Country.
While Silver Fern Farms suppliers supported the charity, any farmer could contribute to Meat the Need, McSkimming said.
"For this to be successful it needs every farmer in New Zealand to provide an animal either physically or...they can donate virtually as well through the Meat the Need website."
"Even if you don't supply us we'd love to see your support going out there to these people in need."
"It's something that all farmers can be really proud of."
Langford said seeing Meat the Need in action inspired him to keep pushing forward with the charity.
Listen below:
"The guys come to grab their food parcel, [with] bare feet and struggling to get through the day and sometimes we forget how much food's sitting in our deep freeze at home on the farm and how lucky we are.
Langford was keen to get more farmers along to the food banks, so they could see the difference they were making.
"Once you see that you'll never look back really."
• 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.
