New Jersey Agricultural Society joins EPA initiative to reduce food waste, fight hunger
NEW JERSEY — The New Jersey Agricultural Society has joined a nationwide initiative led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency aimed at reducing food waste and connecting surplus agricultural products with communities experiencing food insecurity.
The EPA announced Thursday, Oct. 29, that the organization has become part of its Feed It Onward program, a growing network of businesses, farmers, nonprofit organizations and communities working to prevent usable food from going to waste.
Through its Farmers Against Hunger program, the New Jersey Agricultural Society works with farmers and wholesalers to recover surplus produce and distribute it to food banks, churches and other organizations serving residents in need. The partnership will allow the organization to share its experience with similar programs across the country while learning about other approaches to reducing food waste.
“As an apple farmer myself, I never want to see my apples go to waste, and I know other farmers feel the same about their crops,” said EPA Region 2 Regional Administrator Michael Martucci. “The New Jersey Agricultural Society helps fill the gap between farmers and hunger relief organizations by harvesting, storing and transporting surplus crops during the busy harvest season. That is exactly what Feed It Onward is about: people coming together and implementing simple ideas to help quality food reach more communities.”
The Farmers Against Hunger program helps address two challenges facing New Jersey communities: food waste and food insecurity. By recovering fruits and vegetables that might otherwise go unused, the program provides fresh produce to organizations that distribute food to individuals and families.
A central part of the program involves a process known as “gleaning,” in which volunteers and food rescue organizations collect surplus crops from farms. The harvested produce is then transported to refrigerated storage facilities, where it is inventoried and stored before being distributed through a network of food banks, churches and other community organizations throughout New Jersey.
The effort helps farmers make use of crops that might otherwise be left in fields or discarded while increasing access to fresh, nutritious food for residents who may have difficulty obtaining it.
According to the EPA, Feed It Onward was launched under Administrator Lee Zeldin to highlight practical food waste prevention efforts already operating across the country. The initiative provides participating organizations with a national platform to share successful approaches and connect with other groups working to improve food recovery and distribution.
By joining the program, the New Jersey Agricultural Society will contribute knowledge gained through decades of working with farmers, volunteers and hunger relief organizations. The partnership is intended to help other communities identify and implement strategies that keep edible food in use rather than allowing it to become waste.
“We are proud to work side‑by‑side with New Jersey farmers, helping to cut food waste at the source, mobilizing volunteers to make it happen, and sharing on‑site knowledge about how our food is grown for the last 30 years,” said New Jersey Agricultural Society Director Stacey Kennedy.
The society’s participation also highlights the role of volunteers and partnerships between agricultural producers and charitable organizations in addressing hunger. Its Farmers Against Hunger program relies on cooperation among growers, food rescue groups and distribution partners to move surplus produce from farms to residents who can use it.
EPA officials said the Feed It Onward initiative is designed to build on those existing efforts by connecting organizations with similar goals and encouraging the adoption of practical food recovery strategies in communities nationwide.
More information about the initiative is available through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
