Driven by the belief that every crop grown deserves a chance to nourish a neighbor not feed into the issue of food waste, Retaaza and Second Helpings Atlanta have embarked on a pilot program to make that belief an everyday reality.

‍

Our Field to Fork Program rescues fresh, Georgia-grown produce and delivers it to Metro Atlanta nonprofit agencies feeding our communities. By using Retaaza's model of compensating Georgia’s farmers at farmer-first prices, it covers the cost of growing and harvesting their produce, provides an additional revenue stream for farmers, and also delivers fresh produce to families in need.

The Retaaza team is happy to report that over our six week pilot this fall, our collaborative efforts rescued 224,300 pounds of produce that might otherwise have been lost. Produce rescued included Corn, Cucumbers, Mustard Greens, Satsumas, Sweet Potatoes, Yellow Squash, and Zucchini. 

We rescued this produce from six Georgia farms that were all facing the option of leaving their produce in the fields, on the trees, or dumping the product in a landfill. Reasons for rescues included buyers backing out of orders, cosmetic blemishes due to Hurricane Helene, not having a buyer, and farm staffing shortages due to lack of ability to pay for labor. 

‍

We’re very pleased with the initial successes of the first six weeks of our pilot’s rollout. Not only did we save food from the landfill through our combined efforts, we were able to nourish Atlantans in need by donating to 38 food aid nonprofits across the metro area. 

‍

This initiative was made possible through our program partners, Second Helpings Atlanta, and the through the dedication to food waste reduction of our partner farms including Chill-C Farms, Umurima Collective, Snapfinger Farms, and Franklin Citrus, among others. Together, we’re proving that rescuing produce is not just about reducing waste - it’s about creating opportunities, sustaining farms, and feeding communities. We truly can go further and make a greater collective impact if we work together.

‍

As we look to 2025, we invite you to join us in this mission. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to grow Field to Fork and share more stories of resilience and impact from Georgia’s fields and neighborhoods!

‍

The Field to Fork Program

‍