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The UK government has unveiled a £15 million initiative aimed at reducing food waste on farms and ensuring surplus food reaches those in need.
The launch of the Farm Gate Food Waste Fund follows years of campaigning by The Felix Project and FareShare.
The fund is set to provide financial support for redistributing surplus farm food, ensuring it does not go to waste but instead benefits communities facing food insecurity. The initiative will rely on collaboration between the food industry, the charitable redistribution sector, farmers and the government to ensure its success at scale.
In a joint statement, Charlotte Hill, CEO of The Felix Project, and Kris Gibbon-Walsh, CEO of FareShare, said: "We are pleased that the government has recognised that too much food goes to waste on our farms and that it should be redistributed to feed people who need it".
"It is vital that the scheme is delivered in a manner that maximises the redistribution of surplus food to those who need it, while addressing the systemic challenges that create waste."
They emphasised the importance of fast action to maximise the scheme’s impact during the British growing season, urging all sectors to work together in delivering the initiative.
The organisations added: "By redistributing surplus food, we can reduce the environmental impact of food waste, improve food security, ensure that people and communities have access to healthy, nutritious food and save the Treasury money through evidenced social return on investment."
"We are confident that this scheme will be a step towards achieving a zero-waste economy, contributing towards environmental goals that we have signed up to at recent COPs and under the Sustainable Development Goals, and that it will strengthen the sense of community and shared responsibility that the Prime Minister has spoken about.”
COP29 provided a vital platform for addressing climate change and shaping solutions for the food and beverage industry. FoodBev’s Rafaela Sousa explores more of its impact here.