Fresh Produce Donations in California: Opportunities for and Challenges to Increasing Volume and Reducing Food Insecurity

Abstract

This study explores opportunities for increasing access to fresh produce by the emergency food system. Results of extensive interviews of managers of farming operations, food bank distributors, food banks, and food pantries were analyzed using thematic analysis to gain insights into the major challenges to increasing access to fresh produce by the emergency food system. The principal recommendations focus on the need to increase the availability of fresh produce in order to meet expected future growth in demand, better utilizing and communicating grower tax incentives, and investing in building the capacity of the food bank system.