Farmer attitudes and perceptions toward gleaning programs and the donation of excess produce to food rescue organizations

Abstract

Food waste and food insecurity are two concurrent major public health issues. To address them, glean­ing programs can reduce waste and enhance food security by diverting produce to food pantries. To understand the experiences of farmers and gleaning programs, interviews were completed with 12 farmers who had participated in a gleaning pro­gram and 16 farmers who had not donated pro­duce through a gleaning program within the Greater Kansas City metro area. For farmers who had participated in the gleaning program, the ease of donating and tax incentives were primary bene­fits. Inadequate experience and inefficient volun­teers were cited as challenges. Farmers without experience with gleaning programs cited safety and liability issues as concerns. Because farmers communicate frequently with other farmers, food rescue organizations should consider enlisting their support. Communities and government agencies should provide financial support to improve the resources and infrastructure of gleaning organiza­tions to improve farmer-gleaner relationships.