2022 Farm Share
Appropriations Request to
The Florida Legislature
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Farm Share has been, and continues to be, on the front lines in the fight against food insecurity in Florida. As a result, we see first-hand how sky rocketing inflation and continuing pandemic fallout is affecting Floridians access to food.
Food Insecurity issues in 2022
The latest unexpected food price increases have been in addition to substantial price increases for gas, rent and other household staples. These inflationary price increases are all coming on the heels of a unprecedented pandemic that already stretched many working families to the brink. Now, many blue collar workers are struggling to make ends meet & feed their families. These families represent your community teachers, nurses, college students and small business owners who have now turned to local food banks like Farm Share to help feed their families.
Many grocery stores are struggling to keep their shelves stocked and what food is available is priced at a premium. Grocery store food prices increased by nearly 8% in 2021 with overall meat prices increasing by 16%. To make matters worse, some experts have forecast that producers and retailers will start passing on higher labor and supply costs to consumers starting in January 2022, potentially pushing up food prices by as much as 20% more.
These unexpected food price increases are in addition to substantial price increases for gas, rent and other household staples. These inflationary price increases are all coming on the heels of a unprecedented pandemic that already stretched many working families to the brink. Now many blue collar workers are struggling to make ends meet, including feeding their families. These are our community teachers, nurses, cruise and hospitality industry workers and college students. These families and individuals are turning to food banks like Farm Share to put life sustaining food on their tables.
The Solution for Florida in 2022
Farm Share, as Florida’s largest intendent food bank, will continue to be a leader in feeding hungry families, children, seniors and individuals in need in 2022. With eight regional warehouses and a fleet of refrigerated semi-trucks and box trucks, Farm Share distributed more than 118 million pounds of food last fiscal year and more than 135 million pounds during the first year of the COVID pandemic. Our partnership with the Florida Legislature has enabled us to feed millions of people during their toughest times & we hope to continue our work and service together.
Currently, Farm Share has a strong Farm to Farm Share program that allows Florida farmers the ability to donate to Farm Share and receive a receipt for their donation in order to have them save on dumping, labor and transportation expenses and potentially receive a tax credit for their donation. This program allows us to work closely with the best of Florida’s farms and simultaneously feed those in need at very low costs due to the food donations. In addition, these produce donations allow us to provide more than 30% of our food donations consist of fresh fruits and vegetables from Florida farms.
How the Florida legislature can Help Florida
Farm Share needs the help of the Florida legislature to make sure we can continue to have the resources it needs to acquire, store and distribute food products to Floridians in need and continue to meet the elevated food demand statewide. Farm Share’s request this year is the same as last year, $5 million dollars. This is the amount Farm Share needs to maintain operations at all warehouses and in all Florida counties without interruption of services. Let’s continue our longstanding partnership and continuing providing life sustaining food to Florida’s hardworking and struggling families, children, seniors and individuals.
We can’t accomplish our mission without the funding, support and continued partnership of the Florida Legislature. Therefore, we are hoping to continue our longstanding tradition of working together to feed the hungry, less fortunate and hardworking blue collar workers throughout Florida. We ask that Florida's elected officials please support fully funding Farm Share’s appropriation request again this year.
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