Just when we thought the local harvest was done for the year, and we turned our attention to food for the upcoming holidays, Community Food Rescue (CFR) had a flurry of requests from local farms to glean their fields. In November, we organized four gleans that together yielded a bounty of 2,410 lbs. of produce that was distributedContinue Reading
While the global pandemic has upended life as we know it, including disrupting commercial food supply chains, there are some exciting new connections developing in our local food system. One shining example is a new relationship between three food assistance efforts, connected through Manna Food Center’s Community Food Rescue (CFR) program . When many local restaurants and institutions closed, the pandemic left aContinue Reading
It’s summer and local farms, farmers markets, and grocery stores are once again bursting with delicious fresh produce. Consumers may be shopping at their neighborhood farmers market, bringing home their weekly Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) share box, or taking the family to a pick-your-own farm on weekends. Farmers not only reap the economic fruits ofContinue Reading
The Farm Food Donation Pilot Program (SB 416) , signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan last fall, allows eligible farmers to take a tax credit of up to $5,000 per year for donating fresh produce to charitable organizations. This three-year pilot program that began in 2017 is available to farms located in Montgomery County as well as Anne Arundel County, Calvert County, CharlesContinue Reading
No one likes to think about taxes, but did you know that businesses that donate surplus unsold food not only help people and the environment, but can save on their income taxes? Recent Maryland state legislation sweetens tax incentives for farmers in Montgomery County. In 1976, Congress enacted Internal Revenue Code, Section 170e3 , as an incentiveContinue Reading