Challenges and opportunities to increasing fruit and vegetable distribution through the US charitable feeding network: increasing food systems recovery of edible fresh produce to build healthy food access. Issue 5 (3rd September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wetherill, Marianna S.; White, Kayla Castleberry; Rivera, Christine; Seligman, Hilary K.
• Is Part Of: Journal of hunger & environmental nutrition. Volume 14:Issue 5(2019)
• Page Start: 593
• Page End: 612
• Publication Date: 2019-09-03
• Subjects: Food supply -- fruit -- vegetable -- food assistance -- food bank -- food pantry -- food loss -- food waste -- food recovery -- food shrink -- food industry; Nutrition -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Hunger -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Food supply -- Periodicals; 613.2
• DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2018.1484315
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1932-0248

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This qualitative study describes opportunities and challenges to produce recovery identified by food banking executive leadership across the US ( n = 33). Identified challenges included regional variation in fresh produce availability, long transportation times, and lack of refrigerated storage. Opportunities included high client demand for fresh produce, internal benchmarks for fresh produce distribution, and organizational partnerships to create regional sourcing and distribution efficiencies. This research indicates the need for cross-sector collaboration and planning efforts across the agricultural, health, and charitable feeding sectors in order to best recover and redistribute fresh produce.