Food Recovery Program

Food Insecurity

Californians send 11.2 billion pounds of food to landfills each year, some of which was still fresh enough to have been recovered to feed people in need. While billions of meals go to waste, millions of Californians don’t have enough to eat. 

The City is working with Republic Services and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments in creating an excess edible food recovery program for commercial businesses in compliance with California State Senate Bill 1383.

Senate Bill 1383

Beginning January 1, 2022, certain types of businesses (labeled as edible food generators) will be required to donate all of their excess edible food to food recovery organizations and services. Tier 1 Businesses are required to donate starting in 2022, and Tier 2 Businesses are required to donate starting in 2024.

Per the State’s regulation, mandated edible food generators (both Tier 1 and Tier 2 edible food generators) must:

1. Arrange to recover the maximum amount of excess edible food that would otherwise go to landfills.
2. Either establish a written agreement or complete the City’s Food Recovery Partnership Form with partnering organizations/services that accept edible food.
3. Maintain records of all edible food recovery activities and receipts. Submit either written agreements or the City’s Food Recovery Partnership Form in collaboration with food recovery organization(s) to the City each year.

All food donations must meet the food safety requirements of the California Retail Food Code. Donations are protected by The Good Samaritan Act and can be used as a tax write-off.

An explanation of all requirements, as well as additional resources, for edible food generators can be found here.

Establishing Contracts and Written Agreements with Food Recovery Organizations and Services

To ensure that the maximum amount of edible food is recovered, the regulations require that mandated food donors establish contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations and services.

Food recovery organizations and services vary in the amount and types of food they can receive, so mandated food donors may need to establish contracts or written agreements with multiple food recovery organizations and services to be in compliance.

Edible food generators can use either CalRecycle's Model Food Recovery Agreement or the City of Alhambra's Food Recovery Partnership Form. Please complete either document and email it to the City annually at recycle@cityofalhambra.org. 

Recordkeeping

SB 1383 requires mandated food donors to maintain records of their food donation activities. 

The City of Alhambra will monitor compliance of edible food generators by requesting the following types of records during inspections:

• Contract or written agreement for food recovery organizations and services.
• Schedules for food donation deliveries or collections.
• Quantity of food donated in pounds per month.
• Types of food each food recovery organization will receive or collect.

Food recovery organizations and services that have a contract or written agreement with a mandated food donor are required to maintain records of the food they receive from each mandated food donor. This includes:

• The name, address, and contact information for each edible food generator that the organization received edible food from.
• The quantity in pounds of edible food collected from each edible food generator per month.
• The name, address, and contact information for each food recovery service that the organization receives edible food from for food recovery.

CalRecycle released a Model Recordkeeping Tool for food recovery organizations and services. 

Local Food Recovery Organizations & Services

Please contact each agency below directly to establish a written contract or agreement.

Additional food recovery organizations can be found on LA County’s Food Drop Program.