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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Fresh, surplus vegetables from Irish farms reach local charities and community organisations across the Ballyhoura region
THE BALLYHOURA Growers’ Project is set to relaunch this Wednesday, September 3, bringing a renewed focus on reducing food waste and addressing food insecurity across East Limerick and North Cork.
The project is financed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, where vegetable growers are financially supported to harvest, process, package and deliver their surplus produce to FoodCloud.
The Growers' Project has been running for 2 years nationally, and in 2023, 122 tonnes of fresh vegetables were distributed.
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Partner organisations then distribute these vegetables - mainly potatoes, carrots, parsnips, swedes and cabbage, to charitable organisations in their areas.
The project supports a range of charitable organisations including Meals-On-Wheels services, daycare centres, sheltered housing, Family Resource Centres and other organisations that support those in most need.
The vegetables are then used within the services to support the preparation of meals and also in food parcels for distribution to their clients.
Its goal is to ensure that perfectly good, nutritious vegetables that might otherwise go to waste are redirected to where they are most needed.
Since its beginning, the project has directly improved food access for vulnerable groups in East Limerick and North Cork, with weekly distribution managed by Ballyhoura Development CLG and supported by the Ballyhoura Development Rural Social Scheme.
“We are proud to see how this project is growing,” said John Scanlan, Project Coordinator at Ballyhoura Development CLG.
“We’ve seen even greater results in 2025 so far, and with the new harvest season, we’re ready to support more organisations and have a greater impact.”
The project supports a dual mission of reducing food waste at the farm level and to lower food costs for charities and community service providers.
Most importantly, it helps ensure that healthy, sustainable food makes its way from field to table for those who need it most.
Following a brief pause over the summer months, the project resumes alongside the new autumn harvest.
As part of its relaunch, the Ballyhoura Growers’ Project is now inviting new organisations to get involved.
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