Farm to Family: Turning Harvests Into Hope

At the California Association of Food Banks, our Farm to Family program is a core piece of our mission to create a hunger-free California. Through the incredible generosity of more than 200 farms across the state, this program ensures that nutritious produce reaches families who are impacted by food insecurity. Last year, Farm to Family distributed more than 270 million pounds of food through the charitable food system in California. In our newly released video, you’ll get an inside look at how this partnership uplifts both farmers and the families who depend on the fresh, nutritious food these farms supply.

How Farm to Family Works 

Through Farm to Family, CAFB collaborates with more than 200 farms to provide food banks with fresh produce. The generosity of our farm donors enables us to distribute fresh fruits and vegetables to food banks statewide, making a tangible difference to the everyday lives of Californians. By helping farmers find a home for their extra crops, we keep millions of pounds of food out of landfills each year while feeding those who need it most.

Why It Matters

In California, the nation’s most abundant agricultural state, it’s a heartbreaking reality that many families struggle to afford enough food to eat — as of September, 22% of all California households, and 27% of households with children are experiencing hunger.¹ Farm to Family helps Californians put nutritious meals on the table while also supporting California’s farmers. The positive impact for farmers is furthered by the California Tax Credit for Donation of Agricultural Products, which provides farmers with a 10% tax credit for donating their crops to food banks.²

This collaboration is also addressing a vital environmental need: according to the United Nations Environment Programme, it is estimated that 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food that is not being consumed.³ Making use of hundreds of millions of pounds of surplus food that would otherwise go unused, our Farm to Family program is among the largest food recovery operations in the country. Last year, we distributed 265 million pounds of fresh produce to food banks — if this food had gone to waste, it would be the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent of adding 27,400 cars to the road for an entire year.⁴’⁵

Join Us in Growing a Hunger-Free California

Every pound of food distributed is a testament to the power of community and the dedication of those on the frontlines of hunger relief. As we work toward a future where every Californian has access to nutritious food, we invite you to watch and share our video below, and join us in uplifting the individuals who make this work possible. Together, we can build stronger, healthier communities — one meal at a time.

If you are interested in being a food donor to our Farm to Family program, please reach out to our team at farmtofamily@cafoodbanks.org.

Sources:

^[1] Northwestern Institute for Policy Research

^[2] California Franchise Tax Board. (2021). Senate Bill 240 (as introduced): FTB analysis of SB240 – 012121. https://www.ftb.ca.gov/tax-pros/law/legislation/2021-2022/SB240-012121.pdf

^[3] UNEP. (2021). Food waste index report 2021: Trends in food loss and waste. United Nations Environment Programme. https://www.unep.org/resources/report/food-waste-index-report-2021

^[4] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (n.d.). WARM – Waste Reduction Model (WARM) and greenhouse gas emissions factors. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/warm

^[5] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (n.d.). Greenhouse gas emissions from a typical passenger vehicle. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle