Charity to save surplus farm food to get £15 million

Charities, food banks and homeless shelters are to receive a £15 million fund from the government to help them use surplus farm food.

The scheme, launching in 2025, will give grants of £20,000 or more to the not-for-profit food redistribution sector in England.

This continues the pledge of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s predecessor Rishi Sunak to launch food waste prevention fund,

The government estimates that about 330,000 tonnes of edible food is wasted per year or used for animal feed.

The scheme aims to help those groups secure new equipment – ​​such as hoppers and balers – or train staff and install new technology so they can get wasted food to those who need it most. Is.

Labour’s Circular Economy Minister Mary Craig said: “As families gather to celebrate Christmas and New Year, it is important to remember those in our communities who may go hungry over this festive period.

“Nobody wants to see good food go to waste – especially the farmers who work hard to put food on the tables of families across the country.”

The heads of two food redistribution charities said they were “thrilled” that the fund had come to fruition after years of campaigning and were keen to act quickly to maximize its impact during the British growing season.

Charlotte Hill and Chris Gibbon-Walsh, chief executives of charities The Felix Project and FareShare, said they were “thrilled” that the fund had been announced after years of campaigning.