Vermont Hosted Inaugural Week of Gleaning
The event highlights efforts to rescue surplus produce and address regional food insecurity across the state.
Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in Organic Food
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The Vermont Gleaning Collective recently held its inaugural Vermont Week of Gleaning to recover unharvested farm produce. This initiative aims to address rising food insecurity caused by increasing costs of living and declining SNAP participation.
Why it matters
Vermont farms generated over 6,800 tons of produce waste in 2024, with nearly 90% left unharvested. Reducing this waste helps provide fresh, organic-quality food to residents facing barriers to food access.
In 2024, Vermont farms produced 6,820 tons of waste, with 89.5% of that volume left unharvested. These figures highlight the volume of surplus food currently available for recovery efforts versus the previous year.
The players
Willing Hands
A food recovery organization based in Norwich that manages volunteer-led harvesting and refrigerated distribution of surplus food.
Donald Trump
The President of the United States who signed the One Big Beautiful Bill in July 2025.
The details
Organizations like Willing Hands coordinate volunteer-led harvests to capture this surplus before it goes to waste. The process involves collecting items from farms, bakeries, and grocery stores, then utilizing refrigerated transport to ensure the food remains safe and viable for distribution to over 85 social service groups.
Timeline
2024: Vermont farms generated 6,820 tons of produce waste.
2025: Willing Hands recovered 1 million pounds of food.
July 2025: President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill.
September 21-25, 2026: Vermont Week of Gleaning took place.
Health Landscape
This recovery effort fits into the broader national legislative framework established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It represents a localized approach to managing food insecurity amid shifting federal and state social safety net participation.
Increased access to fresh, recovered produce offers a healthier alternative to shelf-stable processed options often found in food pantries. If you are experiencing food insecurity, consider reaching out to local social service organizations to identify available fresh food resources.
The takeaway
Gleaning bridges the gap between agricultural surplus and community nutritional needs. Residents are encouraged to monitor local food pantry availability as demand changes in response to local economic shifts.
Further reading
Learn more about the environmental and nutritional benefits of local sourcing and waste reduction in our Organic Food section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Valley News.
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