Labour ministers have thrown their assist behind a £15m authorities scheme to rescue surplus meals from UK farms—usually thrown away or fed to animals—and distribute it to homeless shelters, meals banks and charities, significantly over the festive interval.
The fund, initially promised by Michael Gove in 2018 and once more by Rishi Sunak in 2024, by no means acquired off the bottom regardless of persistent calls from charities. Following renewed stress this autumn, together with an open letter from chef Tom Kerridge and tons of of non-profits, the Labour authorities has confirmed that grants beginning at £20,000 can be made accessible to not-for-profit meals redistribution teams in England.
Beneath the scheme, these organisations can spend money on gear to gather and course of cumbersome produce, develop tech options linking farms with charities and supply important IT coaching. About 330,000 tonnes of completely edible meals is presently discarded or fed to animals annually. With festive staples like brussels sprouts and potatoes in excessive demand over Christmas, charities say the brand new funding might make a well timed influence.
Mary Creagh, minister for the round financial system, mentioned: “With families gathering to celebrate Christmas and the new year, it’s important to remember those who may be going hungry this festive period. Nobody wants to see good food go to waste—especially farmers, who work hard to put food on family tables.”
Charlotte Hill, chief govt of the Felix Mission, and Kris Gibbon-Walsh, head of FareShare, collectively welcomed the announcement: “We are thrilled to see this fund come to fruition. 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.”
Harriet Lamb, chief govt of the worldwide environmental NGO Wrap, added that the transfer “gives a flying start to the new year” and helps each meals charities and the farming sector develop rapid and long-term options. Extra particulars in regards to the fund and eligibility standards can be launched early subsequent 12 months, whereas the newly shaped “circular economy taskforce” is about to publish a broader technique geared toward halving meals waste by 2030.
