Food redistribution charities in the UK can now apply for grants under a £15m government scheme designed to deliver tons of edible food to those in need while preventing wastage. This new scheme offers grants to help tackle an estimated 330,000 tonnes of food waste yearly.
The new Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate Scheme, announced in December, seeks to strengthen links between farms and charities and help solve the problem of surplus food going to waste before it reaches supermarket shelves. It was confirmed late last week by the government that applications for grants starting from £20,000 can now be submitted by organizations looking to build capacity to collect and deliver food that would have gone to waste.
An estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food are wasted or repurposed as animal feed annually before leaving the farm gates. While food can be given to needy households, charities often lack the resources to salvage it and provide it to the most vulnerable.
The fund supports food redistribution efforts
Charities can now submit bids outlining how they intend to form relationships with farmers to access surplus food and how they would increase their capacity to redistribute food to communities. Funding can go towards purchasing new packaging and labelling equipment, vehicles for conveying goods from farms to a redistribution hub, or new equipment, such as fridges or freezers, to safely store food and ensure it lasts longer.
“No one wants to see good food go to waste, especially our farmers, who work tirelessly to put food on our nation’s tables. This fund would help charities work closer with farmers to find new ways to get fresh produce to the needy,” said the Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh.
She urges their brilliant, committed redistribution charities and non-profits to apply for this funding to ensure that more British fruits and vegetables reach the most needy. The government has launched a new Circular Economy Taskforce, which will help devise a Strategy for England outlining how individual sectors can better reduce waste and promote reuse and recycling.
This aligns with the continued support for the Courtauld Commitment 2030, managed by environmental charity WRAP. This commitment aims to deliver a more sustainable supply chain and reduce food waste in the home.
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UK charities and experts embrace the initiative
In a joint statement, the CEOs of The Bread and Butter Thing, City Harvest, FareShare, The Felix Project, and the co-chairs of The Xcess Group, all of which work in the food redistribution sector, welcomed the launch of the Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme ahead of the British growing season.
The group said, “We can make a profound impact by empowering local charities and community organizations. These groups are the backbone of British society, and we proudly support them. “
They reiterated that they could ensure this scheme is effectively implemented by working across the charitable redistribution sector. With their joint effort, they would deliver tangible value to taxpayers and help millions of meals reach as many people as possible at a time of considerable need.
The fund opening was part of the government’s efforts to improve the UK’s food security. There have been widespread calls for the government to introduce mandatory food waste reporting to create a more circular economy.
A whitepaper published late last year by Biffa-owned social supermarket Community Shop called on the government to recognize that charitable and not-for-profit redistribution alone cannot solve the food waste challenge and that commercial efforts should be further supported.
Too Good To Go, the British Retail Consortium, and retailers like Aldi, the fourth-largest supermarket in the UK, collaborated with local good causes nationwide to donate fresh and chilled foods from their stores after they closed early on Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose also argued last year that mandatory reporting would help tackle a food waste mountain estimated to cost the UK nearly £22bn yearly.
As the British growing season approaches, UK charities are encouraged to take advantage of the funding opportunity. This would help strengthen food redistribution networks, ensuring fewer meals go to waste.