© 2024 WSIU Public Broadcasting
WSIU Public Broadcasting
Member-Supported Public Media from Southern Illinois University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Federal Farm to Food Bank program cuts down on food waste and helps farmers

Volunteers working at the Northern Illinois Food Bank. To date, it's brought in 400,000 more pounds of food because of a federal program that connects farms with food pantries in an effort to cut down on food waste. (Courtesy of Northern Illinois Food Bank)
Volunteers working at the Northern Illinois Food Bank. To date, it's brought in 400,000 more pounds of food because of a federal program that connects farms with food pantries in an effort to cut down on food waste. (Courtesy of Northern Illinois Food Bank)

Some 160 billion pounds of food go to waste each year in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm to Food Bank program cuts down on that waste by connecting local farmers and food pantries. But the program’s funding depends on the next farm bill.

Harvest Public Media contributor Peter Medlin reports.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

As a WSIU donor, you don’t simply watch or listen to public media programs, you are a partner. By making a gift, you help WSIU produce, purchase, and broadcast programs you care about and enjoy – every day of the year.