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UK Government Launches Fund to Combat Food Waste and Aid Charities
Ministers from the Labour party have voiced support for an initiative aimed at establishing a £15 million fund dedicated to repurposing food from farms that would otherwise go to waste, with a focus on the festive season.
The planned program will offer grants starting at £20,000 to organizations in the nonprofit food redistribution sector across England. These funds will be allocated for activities such as repackaging excess farm produce and distributing it to food banks, homeless shelters, and various charities.
This commitment originated from former Environment Secretary Michael Gove in 2018 and was reiterated by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in 2024; however, the initiative has yet to be implemented, despite sustained advocacy from charitable groups.
Recently, a collective of hundreds of charities and chef Tom Kerridge appealed to the Labour government through an open letter, urging the revival of this plan and the inclusion of the necessary funding in the upcoming budget.
Each year, approximately 330,000 tonnes of edible food produced by farms is discarded or allocated for animal feed. Advocacy groups highlight that many local charities struggle with the logistics of collecting and delivering food, including holiday staples like potatoes and brussels sprouts, to those who require assistance.
With the new government program, food distribution charities in England will have the opportunity to apply for grants starting at £20,000. The funds can be utilized for purchasing equipment necessary for collecting and processing large food items, implementing technology that facilitates cooperation between farms and charities, and for providing IT training to staff members.
Mary Creagh, the minister in charge of the circular economy, emphasized the importance of addressing hunger during the holiday season, stating, “As families gather to celebrate Christmas and the new year, it’s crucial to think of those in our communities who might be going hungry this festive time. No one wishes to see quality food go to waste, particularly the farmers who diligently produce it for families nationwide. Our new fund will enhance collaboration between the charitable sector and farmers, paving the way to direct their top-notch produce to those most in need.”
Charlotte Hill, CEO of the Felix Project, along with Kris Gibbon-Walsh, CEO of FareShare, expressed their satisfaction through a joint statement, commenting, “After years of advocacy by food redistribution charities, we are excited to see this fund materialize. It is gratifying that the government acknowledges the significant amount of food wasted on our farms and the necessity to redirect it to support those in need.”
Harriet Lamb, CEO of the global environmental NGO Wrap, remarked that this announcement provides an encouraging start to the new year, allowing food charities and farmers to make an immediate impact and develop sustainable solutions in the long run. She noted that while the redistribution of surplus food is increasing, so too is the demand.
More details regarding the fund, including its eligibility criteria, are expected to be released in the new year. Additionally, the government has established a “circular economy taskforce” that will unveil a strategy in the coming year aimed at reducing waste across various sectors in England, with a goal to halve food waste by 2030.
Source
www.theguardian.com