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Send it to a Landfill | Ben Collier, MBA ’27
Summary
In early 2020, a group of college students initiated the Farm Link project to address the disconnect between surplus food on farms and the increasing demand at food banks. They discovered that while farms had excess food, food banks struggled to manage the influx, leading to significant waste. The students began by connecting with farmers to transport surplus food to local food banks, quickly gaining momentum and support.
Despite their success, the students faced significant pushback from established food banks, particularly those affiliated with Feeding America. These organizations viewed the students as a threat, leading to instances where food was wasted rather than shared. The students recognized the need for collaboration rather than competition, prompting them to focus on building relationships with food banks to facilitate mutual support.
Over time, the Farm Link project evolved to promote collaborative donations, allowing food banks to share surplus resources with one another. This approach proved effective, as more food banks began to reach out for assistance in redistributing excess food. The initiative gained national recognition, ultimately becoming a partner with Feeding America, despite initial resistance.
Farm Link has successfully moved over half a billion pounds of food to communities in need, demonstrating the potential for innovative solutions within existing food distribution systems. The project highlights the importance of collaboration in addressing food insecurity and reducing waste. However, challenges remain, as millions of Americans still face food insecurity.
Perspectives
short
Farm Link Project
- Initiates connections between surplus food and food banks
- Facilitates transportation of excess food to communities in need
- Promotes collaborative donations among food banks
- Achieves national recognition and partnerships despite initial resistance
- Moves over half a billion pounds of food to address food insecurity
Established Food Banks
- Resist collaboration with new initiatives like Farm Link
- Prioritize control over food distribution, leading to waste
- View grassroots efforts as threats to their operations
- Encourage wasteful practices instead of collaboration
Neutral / Shared
- Food insecurity remains a significant issue in the U.S
- Existing food bank infrastructures can be optimized
Metrics
deliveries
40,000 pounds of onions units
onions delivered to a local food bank
This initial delivery set the foundation for the Farm Link project's operations.
we pulled together $900 and paid a truck driver to pick up 40,000 pounds of onions
deliveries
11,000 eggs units
eggs delivered to a food pantry in Santa Monica
This delivery showcased the project's ability to mobilize resources quickly.
picked up 11,000 eggs, and dropped them off at a food pantry in Santa Monica
donations
$150,000 USD
donations received after media coverage
The influx of donations enabled the project to expand its operations significantly.
the next day, we woke up with $150,000 of donations in my friend's bank account
produce wasted
a million pounds of fresh cucumbers units
cucumbers that were not delivered due to pushback
This incident highlights the consequences of systemic barriers in food distribution.
a million pounds of fresh cucumbers were sent to rot in a landfill
deliveries
over half a billion pounds units
total food moved to communities
This demonstrates the scale of impact the initiative has achieved.
Today, farm link has moved over half a billion pounds of fruits and vegetables to communities around North America.
deliveries
over half of that has come from collaborative donations units
food moved through collaborative donations
This indicates the effectiveness of the collaborative approach in food recovery.
over half of that has come from collaborative donations.
food_insecurity
47 million Americans are food insecure today people
current food insecurity in the US
This statistic underscores the ongoing need for initiatives like Farm Link.
47 million Americans are food insecure today.
Key entities
Timeline highlights
00:00–05:00
In early 2020, college students initiated the Farm Link project to connect surplus food from farms to food banks amid rising food insecurity. Despite their success in delivering fresh produce, they faced significant challenges from established food banks, highlighting systemic barriers in food distribution.
- In early 2020, college students noticed the disparity between food waste on farms and the rising demand at food banks, prompting them to create a solution to connect surplus food with those in need
- Lacking experience in agriculture and logistics, the students reached out to farmers, resulting in substantial donations and nationwide support for their food recovery efforts
- The Farm Link project effectively delivered large amounts of fresh produce to food banks, addressing some pandemic-related food access issues and highlighting the problem of food waste
- The initiative encountered pushback from established food banks, especially those linked to Feeding America, revealing the complexities of collaboration in a competitive charity landscape
- A significant setback occurred when a food bank turned down their offer to deliver cucumbers, resulting in a million pounds of produce wasted and exposing systemic barriers in food distribution
- The students journey demonstrated the challenges faced by new organizations attempting to innovate within a rigid charity system, emphasizing the need for improved cooperation to tackle food insecurity
05:00–10:00
The Farm Link project connects surplus food from farmers to communities facing food shortages, addressing the food waste crisis during the pandemic. Despite initial resistance from established food banks, the initiative has successfully facilitated the movement of over half a billion pounds of food through collaborative donations.
- The Farm Link project was created to address the food waste crisis during the pandemic, connecting excess produce from farmers with communities facing food shortages. This initiative aimed to reduce waste while meeting urgent food needs
- Initially, the project faced resistance from established food banks, particularly those associated with Feeding America, which viewed it as a threat. This situation underscored the challenges of collaboration within the food distribution network
- Instead of dismantling existing food bank structures, the team sought to understand their limitations, particularly in redistributing surplus food effectively. This insight guided their approach to improving food recovery efforts
- The initiative introduced a model of collaborative donations, encouraging food banks to share surplus with each other. This strategy led to significant increases in food recovery and distribution across multiple regions
- A turning point occurred when a CEO from a Feeding America food bank acknowledged the organizations previous resistance to collaboration. This admission reflected a growing awareness of the need for change within the food bank system
- Farm Link has successfully facilitated the movement of over half a billion pounds of food, showcasing the effectiveness of their approach. However, the persistent issue of food insecurity highlights the necessity for ongoing partnerships in agriculture and philanthropy