During a recent government meeting, officials discussed the implementation of SB 1383, a California law aimed at reducing food waste and addressing food insecurity through edible food recovery. The law mandates that by 2025, California must recover 20% of all edible food that would otherwise be discarded in landfills.

To achieve this goal, local jurisdictions are required to establish and enhance food recovery programs. The meeting highlighted ongoing efforts to engage grocery retailers and restaurants in the community, facilitating quarterly meetings to identify surplus food that can be redirected to food banks and other recovery organizations.

Food donors are expected to maximize the recovery of edible food, and the meeting underscored the importance of maintaining accurate records for compliance with state requirements. Local food recovery organizations are collaborating with the community food bank to ensure proper documentation is in place for inspections.

Additionally, the council has authorized staff to apply for a $75,000 grant from CalRecycle, which can be utilized to support edible food recovery initiatives. Discussions with the local food bank are underway to explore ways to enhance operational efficiency as the community approaches the critical 20% recovery target, with current recovery efforts standing at 10%. The urgency of meeting this benchmark was emphasized, as the deadline approaches in the coming months.