Regina Food Bank partnering with local farm to use food waste to feed animals

A new agreement sees the Regina Food Bank send organic waste to Fenek Farms, where it's converted to silage for animals. Jacob Carr has the story.

The Regina Food Bank and Fenek Farms have been helping each other out this year with a trade deal - that leaves nothing to waste.

The animals at Fenek Farms have benefited from a steady helping of organic waste from the Regina Food Bank that the farm uses as silage, animal feed that is preserved through fermentation in a silo or pit.

Silage can consist of many agricultural products such as sprouted grains, hay, or straw.

Evelyn Cerda, Regina Food Bank interim CEO, said they get a significant amount of food waste a year through donations.

“We probably have about 300,000 pounds of organic waste per year. With Fenek farms, I believe from January until mid-February, we had given them about 25,000 pounds. It’s only a portion, but we’re working on growing the partnership.”

Josef Buttigieg, Fenek Farms owner and operator, said the agreement with the food bank has helped offset the loss of hay production due to poor soil moisture content.

“In some of our fields we were pulling 100 bales off of a field, and this past year we pulled off 20. And then each one of those bales weighs about 1,500 pounds. So, you lose 80 times 1,500, we’re talking almost like 100,000 pounds of hay all of a sudden,” he explained.

In turn, the farm has given back to the food bank as well, agreeing to give several sheep and one cow to them this year.

“So, it kind of forms this really nice, closed circuit in that we are making sure that we’re diverting waste from the environment. And still giving back to society as well.”

Buttigieg said he wants to continue to partner with the food bank in the future and said discussions are ongoing to get an agreement where pen is officially put to paper.

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“It’s a two-way street at the end of the day, and I want to make sure that I’m giving back equitable amounts. So right now, that’s what we committed to, and my guess is that probably will increase seeing as the food bank requirements also increase too,” he said, noting that demand increases as more people move to the city.

Until then, the two organizations will continue to work hand in hand to divert waste from the landfill and keep feeding the farm animals.