Farm Share Needs Your Support

Last session, the Florida Legislature cut Farm Share's funding by 40%. This year's budget session promises to be even harder. Please contact Governor Crist and your Florida Senators and Florida Representatives in Tallahassee and urge them to support Farm Share. You can find their contact information here. Leave a message or send an e-mail. Your voice DOES count. Let your representatives know that helping people and preventing needless waste is important to YOU.

Everyone knows that when you support Farm Share,
you're helping to feed those in need in Florida.
But do you know what else you're supporting?

When You Support Farm Share...

You Support Our Farmers -- Farmers who donate their surplus produce to Farm Share can receive a tax deduction from the IRS. They also don't have to pay the dumping fees to send it to the landfill or the cost of plowing it under and spraying it with pesticides.
You Support Our Elderly -- Over 70% of the USDA commodities distributed in Florida go to our elderly population. Farm Share distributed 2.6 million pounds of USDA commodities in Florida last year alone.
You Support Our Environment -- Surplus produce that doesn't go to Farm Share goes into our landfills or is plowed under and sprayed with pesticides as required by law.
You DON'T Support Waste -- By using surplus produce to feed those in need in Florida, Farm Share keeps that food from going to waste. You are also providing food to those in need at the most affordable cost possible.
You Support Efficiency -- Farm Share operates at an amazing 1.3% administration cost. No State money goes to upper level administration in ANY shape or form. Farm Share utilizes inmate labor and volunteers to get the job done.
You Support Health and Nutrition -- By adding fresh produce to the USDA commodities that Farm Share distributes, our recipients get the added health benefits that canned and frozen foods just can't provide.
You Support Your Local Charities -- Farm Share distributes to over 650 agencies throughout all 67 counties in Florida. Farm Share never charges these agencies for food in ANY way.
You Support Grass Roots -- Most of the soup kitchens, homeless shelters, food banks, churches, and agencies that Farm Share gives food to are truly "grass roots" organizations run by volunteers. They have little to no money to spend on food. They cannot afford to pay the "shared maintenance fees" (calculated by the pound) charged by many agencies to help defray the costs of administration and transportation. Groups that charge by the pound for the food they distribute are not as reliant on State funds and private donors as Farm Share as much of their costs are passed on to their recipient agencies.