Food rescue group Sharing Excess looks to Michigan producers to expand statewide efforts

Nearly 40% of food is wasted in America, and two-thirds of that is still edible when it happens.

That’s more than 90 billion potential meals, according to Sharing Excess, a national food rescue group that’s looking to add more farmer partners in Michigan.

Sharing Excess captures excess foods from a variety of sources — including directly from farms — then partners with local food banks and community organizations to distribute millions of pounds of surplus food across the country. The group rescues 2 million pounds of food every week.

Their focus is on transportation and logistics, with the goal of making the donation process easy, according to the group’s Detroit Program Coordinator Chad Techner.

“The goal is to make it easier for farmers to donate than it is to have to till it back into their field,” said Sharing Excess Detroit Program Coordinator Chad Techner. “Everything gets tracked so that farmers can receive any tax credits or benefits. Sharing Excess will deal with all of the logistics.”

Those logistics can include helping facilitate packaging and other support, if needed. Sharing Excess tries to be on farm within 24 hours of receiving a call that excess food is available, according to their Chief Program Officer Sarah DiPasquale.

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She was at the Detroit Produce Terminal when she spoke to Michigan Farm News in July. While she said the group sources food from retailers, wholesalers, and distribution centers, DiPasquale noted that farms represent a “huge, untapped source” of products.

“We’re capturing surplus at (the wholesale) part of the supply chain, but we believe that if we are able to work with the farmers in the beginning — before food could potentially go to a wholesaler — we could even recover more and help more people,” DiPasquale said.

She recommended that farmers interested in learning more, or who have food to donate, visit the group’s website or call her directly at 267-355-3205.

The Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies is also fighting hunger in Michigan through a variety of efforts, including supporting school food clubs, Agent Charitable Fund grants, and more. Click here to learn more.