Suppliers have been asked to donate their excess fresh produce to the Aussie Farmers Foundation (AFF) and Foodbank as part of an initiative to provide meals for the hungry in rural and regional Australia.
The AFF will fund the Meals for Mates program for an initial two years through a cash grant.
Aussie Farmers Direct, which created AFF in 2010, will also offer support through product donations and fundraising activities.
Foodbank Australia CEO Geoff Starr said those living in remote areas were at greater risk of food insecurity than their urban counterparts.
“On average, food is up to 50 per cent more expensive in remote communities,” he said.
The Meals for Mates program will contribute towards Foodbank’s Key Staples Program, allowing the food relief organisation to provide breakfast cereals, milk, pasta, sausages, fruit and vegetables to those in need.
