WHY DOESN’T WASTED FOOD GET TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT?

Every year, the US throws away one-third of all the food it produces — and 10% of that 133 billion pounds of food is lost at the grocery stores, restaurants, and vendors that sell it. The main reasons why good food doesn't get to hungry people are:  

·    Liability--Many vendors mistakenly believe they'll get sued for providing food that gets somebody sick. What these vendors may not know is that the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects individuals, corporations, wholesalers, caterers, farmers, and restaurateurs from liability for donating food in good faith.

·    Logistics--Stores often don’t have the space to store leftover food while they are waiting for agencies to pick it up. And food banks may not have the capacity to transport or properly store the food if it's highly perishable. Worse, many stores don’t know where to donate their leftover food.

Source: Business Insider, 10/16/14, Wasted Food