A network of organizations helping prevent and reduce wasted food in Massachusetts including through advocacy and education, food rescue & donation, gleaning, composting, and more.
Goal
This network builds relationships to facilitate better collaboration across the field, shares information to enhance our work, and advocates for policies and measures that support food waste reduction.
Background
- Waste: At least 40% of food in the US is wasted (NRDC). According to the MA Department of Environmental Protection, food waste and other organic material make up approximately 21 percent of the total waste stream in the state, equaling 950 thousand tons a year in Massachusetts in 2019.
- Food Insecurity: At the same time, more than 650,000 Massachusetts residents are food insecure, making the disposal of edible food a missed opportunity to better synthesize and strengthen multiple sectors of the food system (Feeding America).
- Environmental Hazard: Food waste poses an environmental hazard as well, as discarded organic materials in landfills create methane, a greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change. And landfilling or incinerating food waste is expensive for municipalities and has public health and environmental impacts.
Get Involved
Upcoming Network Meetings
March 19, 11am – Network Meeting
For more information and to be added to the listserv, please contact Emily Fidanza at emily@mafoodsystem.org
Food Waste Reduction Partners & Advocates
Below are food waste reduction organizations, including food rescue, gleaning, and composting organizations that work to reduce food waste around the state, and engage with the Food Waste Reduction network.
If you are part of a group or organization working on food waste reduction and would like to be added to the Food Waste Reduction Network listserv and the map, please reach out to Emily Fidanza at emily@mafoodsystem.org.
Policy Advocacy
The Collaborative is tracking the following bills in the 2025-26 Legislative session.
An Act encouraging the donation of food to persons in need
Sen. Jo Comerford S.1043 / Rep. Hannah Kane H.3154
Thousands of tons of edible food are sent to landfills each year because of donors’ concerns about liability, and because diverting it to those who need it can be costly. These bills will provide civil liability protection for individuals and food establishments who donate food directly to consumers, and a tax credit to Massachusetts farmers in the amount of the fair market value of the donated food, with a $25,000 annual cap per farmer. The Joint Committee on Judiciary held a hearing on this bill on April 8, 2025. A new draft of the House bill was moved out favorably and sent to House Ways and Means. This bill will need to be passed by the House first.
Resources
According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, food waste and other organic material make up approximately 21 percent of the total waste stream in the state, equaling 950,000 tons a year in Massachusetts in 2019.
Learn more about food waste in Massachusetts.
A strategic guide for effective state budget advocacy—detailing how to influence line‑item appropriations, coordinate with legislative champions, and shape the fiscal narrative to secure local food system investments.
Practical guidance for engaging legislators—such as building relationships, submitting impactful testimony, and navigating the legislative process—to effectively advocate for local food system policy change.
This report outlines existing state supports—including regulations, technical assistance, and funding—to encourage food-waste reduction and diversion.
A tool to help you make meaningful changes that affect your work and your community. Using these tools, you and your allies can contribute to creating policy that helps the food system thrive.