News bites: tasty Aussie food updates

24th June 2020 | Eativity editors

While fire, flood, drought and the COVID pandemic have dealt a quadruple blow to farmers, the news is not all grim for our hardworking food producers. There’s also been a shake-up in the sweet world of Australian lollies. Plus, we’ve found some simple ways that you can do your bit to help people who are struggling this winter.

Australian food news: Redskins changes name
A Red Skin by any other name would taste as sweet… or sweeter.

What’s in a name?

Nestlé has announced that it will change the name of its Red Skins and Chicos lollies – both of which reflect derogatory racial stereotypes. The multinational released a statement saying that the decision “acknowledges the need to ensure that nothing we do marginalises our friends, neighbours and colleagues” and that “these names have overtones which are out of step with Nestle’s values, which are rooted in respect”. New names have not been announced, but the company plans to move quickly on this.

Australian food news: help for apple growers
Montague apples were fortunate to lose only 5000 trees. Others were not so lucky.

Help for our apple growers

The government has announced $86 million worth of new targeted bushfire recovery grants to support some of Australia’s hardest hit primary producers. The additional bushfire relief measures will include a $31 million fund for grants of $120,000 per hectare for bushfire-impacted apple growers. Our apple producers have suffered significant impacts, with Apple and Pear Australia estimating that the bushfires cost $72 million in damage, wiped out a fifth of our country’s apple trees and that 170.5 hectares of apple orchards need to be replaced. To put this into perspective, each hectare can cost around $360,000 to replace, and take up to five years to produce income again.

Australian food news: Coles and SecondBite help to fight hunger
Coles Team member Rob Swaab helps pack food hampers for the needy.

SecondBite and Coles help to fight hunger

Coles shoppers can join the fight against hunger by supporting Coles’ national appeal to deliver nutritious meals to vulnerable Australians. The appeal comes amid new research by food rescue organisation SecondBite, which found nine out of 10 of their food relief charity partners had been impacted by COVID and more than 80 percent have witnessed an increase in demand for food relief. Customers can show their support for those hit hard by COVID by purchasing a $2 SecondBite donation card at Coles. Every card purchased provides the equivalent of 10 meals to Aussies in need. You can pick up a card at any Coles checkout or add a donation to a Coles Online order between now and June 30.

Youfoodz
Winter is served at Youfoodz, with a mission to make a difference.

Youfoodz supports Lifeline

Lifeline has received 90,000 calls to its 13 11 14 crisis line each month since March. That’s a call every 30 seconds. This is why Youfoodz is pledging to support Lifeline with $25,000 worth of in-kind meal donations to key Lifeline crisis support centres around the country, providing winter meals to support communities most in need. Youfoodz is also engaging their customer reach to raise much-needed funds for Lifeline, pledging to match every dollar donated by customers, up to the value of $10,000. Youfoodz customers can donate to Lifeline via youfoodz.com

Australian food news: bumper winter crops predicted

Bumper winter crops predicted

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences is forecasting a 53 percent increase in winter crops in 2020–21. Winter crop production is forecast to be 44.5 million tonnes in 2020–21, which is 11 percent above the 10-year average to 2019–20. Wheat production is forecast to increase by 76 percent, barley to increase by 17 percent and canola production is expected to increase by 40 percent. Among other crops, chickpea production is anticipated to increase by an impressive 135 percent and oat production is forecast to increase by 81 percent.

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