Congress sends bill to boost food donations to Biden’s desk

Congress this week passed a bill to incentivize food donations in an effort to fight hunger and reduce food waste. 

The Food Donation Improvement Act boosts liability protections for those that donate food directly to people in need, eliminating legal barriers that have prompted restaurants, grocery stores, farms and other organizations to throw away food rather than donate it.   

“This bill is so bipartisan because it is very clear that ambiguous, outdated laws are preventing people who have extra food from donating it to people who need extra food,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said on the House floor Wednesday. “All we are doing here is expanding protections to increase the quantity and efficiency of food donation efforts.”

More than 38 million people in the U.S. face food insecurity, according to Feeding America. Meanwhile, the anti-hunger organization estimates that the U.S. wastes 108 billion pounds of food each year, leading to a reduced food supply and higher emissions. 

The food donation bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent on Tuesday and the House by voice vote on Wednesday, sending it to President Biden’s desk. It was supposed to be included in the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill but was left out due to a clerical error.

The bill also extends legal protections to those that charge an exceedingly low price for their food to cover the cost of handling and transporting it, another effort to incentivize companies to give away food rather than send it to a landfill.

Food and diet companies, including Hellmann’s, Grubhub and WW International, formerly known as Weight Watchers, joined anti-hunger and environmental groups in pushing for the bill. 

“The Food Donation Improvement Act will bring all businesses, ranging from large corporations to small and independent restaurants, into the fight against food insecurity,” Grubhub Vice President of Government Affairs Amy Healy said in a statement.