Food Recovery Network believes food is a human right. We also know that wasting precious food directly harms our environment by creating excess greenhouse gases. To tackle the root causes of food waste, and simultaneously tackle the root causes of enduring food insecurity in the United States, we must look to policy to create systemic, positive change.
FRN’s advocacy efforts disrupt the status quo of an unsustainable food production system that is inaccessible to far too many people in the United States and generates food waste at all points in the system. By giving our student network the skills to engage with local, state, and national policy leaders, we can change the tide and ensure that the 44 million people in the United States facing food insecurity right now can have access to the food they deserve. We work alongside our student leaders and our network of 4,000 strong and growing to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable future.
Ready to take action?
Student-Led Advocacy
For students seeking advocacy resources to support their own initiatives on campus or in their communities, check out FRN’s helpful guides and tools.
Get started and send a letter to your legislators. Use this letter to advocate for more access to SNAP benefits and an increased minimum wage.
Use your voice to support the Food Date Labeling Act.
Scan the QR Code to take action through the Climate Action Now app.
The Food Date Labeling Act (FDLA) is a bipartisan, bicameral bill designed to end consumer confusion around food date labeling and ensure people in the United States do not throw out perfectly good, usable food.
The FDLA bill can help stop perfectly good food from going to waste and instead distribute it to those who need it most. Nearly 10% of all US food waste is due to confusion over the date labels (often misunderstood as “expiration dates”), and according to research by the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, more than 80% of Americans report tossing food simply because it is past date. Send your legislator a letter or make a phone call to support passing the FDLA. Scan the QR code to download the Climate Action Now app and connect to your representatives.
Food recovery network’s Advocacy Initiatives
FRN advocated alongside 70+ nonprofit and corporate partners, as well as 60,000+ citizens (including our student leaders!), to pass the Food Donation Improvement Act. This is a major stride toward ending food insecurity, fighting food waste, and building a better food system for all.
FRN is thrilled to have been part of these advocacy efforts alongside WeightWatchers, Food Tank, Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, and so many others.
Be sure to check out this letter from FDIA cosponsor, Senator Richard Blumenthal, thanking all of us for our advocacy efforts!
check out these other resources on food waste and food insecurity
The White House Statement on the Key Deliverables for the 2023 North American Leaders’ Summit
FRN’s Executive Director, Regina Anderson gave her thoughts on the FDIA in Sustainable Brands’ article, Food Donation Improvement Act Brings Measured Change, Opportunity to Reduce US Food Waste
conversation with Robert Egger: how to break the mold on “Traditional” Advocacy
Robert Egger is lifelong “power of food” champion and the originator of the Community Kitchen movement. In this engaging conversation, he spoke about his fascinating career and how students can engage in advocacy to build better food systems. Watch the recording to learn more!
FRN on the Hill
Regina Harmon speaking at the Food Tank on Capitol Hill Series: Food Access, Affordability, Food is Medicine, and Preventing Food Loss and Waste on July 25th, 2024 as part of the "Food Loss and Waste" panel.
Regina Harmon, delivered closing remarks for Food Systems Collaborative’s 2024 Gen Z Food & Hunger Summit.
