Government’s Farm Gate Food Waste Fund comes to fruition
After years of dedicated campaigning alongside The Felix Project, the Government’s Farm Gate Food Waste Fund is becoming a reality.
This initiative marks a significant step in tackling food waste on UK farms and ensuring surplus food reaches those who need it most.
The money had originally been announced by Rishi Sunak in February 2024, but following the general election was put on hold.
The Felix Project, FareshareUK and other food redistribution charities then called upon Labour to honour the previous pledge.
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 both added.
Collaboration across the food industry, charitable redistribution sector, government, and farmers will be key to achieving this.
The CEO’s continued: “It’s key that we act quickly together to launch this scheme in time to maximise the impact of this initiative during the British growing season.
“FareShare and its network has a proven track record in enabling farmers to redistribute surplus food effectively and at scale, demonstrating how this approach can deliver both social and environmental benefits.
“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.”
The two bodies are pleased to support the government’s Circular Economy Strategy, and are glad that the government has acknowledged the role of surplus redistribution organisations, and the wider charity sector in its development and implementation.
“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,” the chief executives noted.
