The USDA defines food recovery as the collection of wholesome food for distribution to the poor The term "gleaning" is used in USDA's A Citizens Guide to Food Recovery to describe gathering after the harvest and goes back as far as written history. For prepared and perishable food rescue, The Emergency Foodshelf Network developed The All Seasons Food Rescue (ASFR) program. There are three main areas of prepared and perishable food rescue:
1. Field Gleaning—The collection of crops from farmers’ fields after harvest. ASFR partners with farmers markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA’s).
2. Perishable Food Rescue or Salvage—The collection of perishable produce from wholesale and retail stores. ASFR has partnered with grocers and Food Providers of America to collect thousands of pounds of fresh produce.
3. Food Rescue—The collection of prepared foods from the food service industry. ASFR partners with Twin Cities organizations (see below) to rescue prepared food that would otherwise go to waste.
In a USDA Food Recovery Study, it is estimated that 96 billion pounds of food goes to waste in our country, a full 27 percent of the annual U.S. Food Supply. Our goal is to decrease the amount of prepared and perishable food waste and turn it around to benefit hunger relief organizations.
Foodshelves often get produce “on the fringe”, when fruits and vegetables begin to soften and wilt. The Emergency Foodshelf Network takes great pride in our efforts to rescue the freshest produce.
EFN accepts donations at the New Hope location Monday through Friday 9:00am-5:00pm.