GRAINGROWERS around Australia are donating grain that‘s helping to produce pasta, breakfast cereals and other nutritious meals that feed some of the estimated two million Australians facing hunger every day.
For the past two years, CBH Grain has operated a successful donation program in WA where graingrowers have been able to contribute some of their excess produce to Foodbank.
The donation program has now been expanded nationally, giving growers in SA, Victoria, NSW and QLD the same chance to contribute grain to the worthy cause.
CBH Grain Eastern Australia Domestic Marketing Manager Peter Ainsworth said the program had been successful in WA and the grain trader was now facilitating the promotion, marketing, administration and management of grain donations from growers, received into bulk handling storage facilities on the East Coast.
Mr Ainsworth said graingrowers can donate nominated tonnage to Foodbank either at the initial delivery time or out of warehousing by entering into a donation contract with CBH Grain/Foodbank.
He said the program’s intention was to build an ‘asset base’ of different grain varieties which can be utilised by Foodbank with flexibility and when required for its ultimate end-use requirements.
“If the asset base grains consisted of animal feed grades of wheat and barley, whereas Foodbank’s processing partners require milling wheat for production into flour, then the intention is to swap the feed grades of grains for milling grades of wheat of an equivalent market value,” he said.
“With an annual collaborative supply target of 1,200 tonnes of breakfast cereal and 1,100 tonnes of pasta and noodles, an asset base of grain will be invaluable if these targets are to be met.”
CBH Grain was acknowledged for its collaborative work in helping Foodbank accumulate grain for its successful collaborative supply program.
Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig presented the annual Foodbank awards at the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s annual industry leaders’ dinner in Canberra last week.
Mr Ludwig said Foodbank was a great example of the innovative and collaborative work done by Australia’s food and grocery industry.
He said it showed what can be achieved through strong partnerships between businesses and community organisations.
“Foodbank helps feed over 70,000 Australians a day, half of whom are children that would otherwise go to school without breakfast or to bed without dinner,” he said.
Mr Ludwig congratulated each of the award recipients for their “outstanding contribution to Foodbank”.
He also commended the AFGC for supporting Foodbank and collaborating with governments and other stakeholders across the food and grocery supply chain.
Other Foodbank awards winners were; Woolworths (Leadership), Smiths Snackfood Company (innovation) and Kraft Foods (Partnerships).
CBH Grain won its collaboration award working with Rinoldi Pasta and other partners to produce pasta and pasta sauce, including; the Manildra Group, George Western Foods, Toll Logistics, Visy, Perfection Packaging and Shorko.
CBH Grain says its Foodbank program, which started in 2008, is a highly effective way to maximise donation value, with 1000 tonnes or about $250,000 to $300,000 of grain, depending on the current market price and the grain variety, able to make $4.5 million of food for the needy.
Foodbank acts as a conduit between the food and grocery industry and the welfare sector where food is prepared for mass meals or for distribution in food parcels.
Food and grocery manufacturers, producers and growers deliver their donations to Foodbank warehouses, where the food is sorted and then collected and distributed by welfare agencies throughout Australia.
The donations not only help the homeless, but also single parent families, asylum seekers, students, the elderly and children.
