Food redistribution charities can now submit applications for a new £15 million UK Government scheme to help ensure surplus food is redistributed.
The new Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme aims to strengthen links between farms and charities to reduce food surplus on farms.
Applicants can apply for grants starting from £20,000 by outlining how they intend to form relationships with farmers to access surplus food, and how they would seek to increase their capacity to redistribute this food to communities.
The funding can go towards purchasing new packaging and labelling equipment and vehicles to move goods from farms to a redistribution organisation, as well as new equipment, like fridges or freezers, to safely store food and ensure it lasts longer.
The fund is open to food redistribution charities and applications can be submitted online until 11:55am on 27 March 2025.
Commenting on the fund, Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “Nobody wants to see good food go to waste – especially farmers who work hard to put food on our nation’s tables.
Nobody wants to see good food go to waste – especially farmers who work hard to put food on our nation’s tables.
“This fund will help charities work more closely with farmers to create new ways to get fresh produce to the people who need it most.
“I encourage our brilliant, dedicated redistribution charities and non-profits to apply for this funding to ensure more British fruit and veg gets to those who need it most.”
Every year an estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food is either wasted or repurposed as animal feed before leaving farm gates.
In a joint statement, the CEOs of The Bread and Butter Thing, City Harvest, FareShare, The Felix Project and Co-Chairs of The Xcess Group said the fund presents an opportunity to make a “profound impact” by empowering communities and charities.
“By working across the charitable redistribution sector, we can help ensure that this scheme is implemented efficiently through our joint capacity, delivers tangible value to taxpayers, and helps millions of meals reach as many people as possible at a time of considerable need,” the statement said.
