More Aussie farmers and community groups will have access surplus food from Woolworths bakery and produce departments after the company announced an expansion of its Feed Stock for Farmers program.
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The program has been running nationally for over 10 years and, to date, over 600 farmers and community groups from around the country have joined, using surplus food for stock feed and on-farm compost.
The program has also helped Woolworths record a year-on-year reduction of 8 per cent in food waste sent to landfill over the past three years.
Adrian Cullen, Woolworths Head of Sustainability said the program was a great way for farmers and community groups to get a hold of additional feed for their livestock or use the material for composting free of charge.
“The Woolworths Feed Stock for Farmers program is a year round, ongoing effort to reduce food waste and support farmers, and last year we donated more than 33,000 tonnes of surplus food to Australian farmers,” he said.
“We’re now pleased to expand the program to more stores to ensure more farmers and community groups can benefit and so can the environment as we further reduce food waste.”
Ashley Swan, a farmer located near Lilydale in Victoria, has been part of the Woolworths Stock Feed for Farmers program since 2014.
He said regular collections from the local Woolworths had become an important part of day-to-day life on the farm.
“The Woolies team make it easy for us to collect the feed direct from the back of the store, which we do most days,” he said.
“These collections help us feed our animals including cattle, horses and sheep each week. In the current climate, the food we collect from Woolworths has become an important part of keeping animals fed and healthy.”
Farmers who want to apply should visit www.woolworths.com.au/farmerprogram
