Demand for food assistance increasing

The number of Australians in need of food assistance is increasing, according to charity and welfare groups. This puts pressure on the food industry to provide supplies and raises issues about food safety and security.

Greg Warren, General Manager of Foodbank, will discuss these issues, among others, at the 20th Australian HACCP Conference in August. Warren will outline the issue of food security in Australia, the increasing demand for food donations and how Foodbank operates the delivery of safe food to those in need.

A Foodbank survey revealed that almost 70% of welfare groups have seen an increase in the number of Australians in need of food assistance. Of these agencies, 25% reported an increase in demand for food donations of more than 15% over 12 months, while 10% of agencies experienced an increase greater than 30%.

“This also highlights the issue of food safety and security,” Warren said. “With increased demand, the challenge for us is to safely supply vast quantities of food, often in times of crises, from various suppliers. The processes we have in place are more important now than ever.”

Major contributing factors to the crisis include:

• Economic growth: in the last two decades, the net wealth of the poorest 20% of households increased by 4%, compared with a 28% increase across Australia.
• Rising cost of living: cost of living expenses continue to grow at a rate faster than the income of low-economic-resource households.
• Decreased industry surplus: there is a limited surplus of food for donation, due to improved inventory control and planning methods within the food industry.
• Welfare demand: six in 10 agencies require at least 25% more food, with almost three in 10 agencies requiring double.

The conference will address other current issues such as regulatory change, international policy implementation, foodborne illness outbreaks and technology developments.

The 20th Australian HACCP Conference will take place at Pier Docklands, Melbourne, from 27-29 August, 2013. For further information, visit www.haccptown.com.au/conference.