Grants starting from £20,000 are available to food redistribution charities from the UK Government’s new Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme.
Food redistribution charities can now submit applications for the £15 million Government scheme, which aims to support charities to ensure surplus food is redistributed.
Applicants can submit bids outlining how they intend to form relationships with farmers to access any 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, vehicles to move goods from farms to a redistribution organisation, and new equipment, like fridges or freezers.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said the Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme will strengthen links between farms and charities.
“Nobody wants to see good food go to waste – especially farmers who work hard to put food on our nation’s tables,” Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said.
“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.”
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.
Applications are open to online submissions until 11:55 am on 13 March 2025.
Earlier this year, Defra announced the members of a new Circular Economy Taskforce, which comprises industry, academia, and civil society in the UK.
The task force will lead the development of a Circular Economy Strategy for England, which will outline how individual sectors can contribute to a circular transition.
Defra also reaffirmed its support for the Courtauld Commitment 2030, managed by environmental non-governmental organisation WRAP.
The Commitment looks to deliver a more sustainable supply chain and reduce household food waste by tackling food waste and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.
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: “As leaders of the surplus food redistribution sector and following years of campaigning, we are delighted to welcome the launch of this fund ahead of British growing season.”
