Crop It Like It's Hot: From Field to Food Bank, how surplus crops find a second harvest

We travelled to Merseyside to find out how surplus food is being redistributed across the country and how farmers can get involved

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Crop It Like It's Hot: From Field to Food Bank, how surplus crops find a second harvest

Thousands of tonnes of perfectly good arable produce never leave the farm gate, due to spoilage, market gluts, or shifting contracts. But what actually happens to that surplus?

In this episode, head of arable Ash Ellwood visits a re-distribution site in Merseyside to dig into the true scale of on-farm waste and follow the journey of surplus produce beyond the field.

Discover how FareShare and The Felix Project are turning overlooked harvests into vital food supplies for nearly 8,000 charities and why understanding where your crop goes next could reshape how you see value, waste, and opportunity in your rotation.

Speakers

  • Emma Brown - head of fresh produce at FareShare UK
  • Lissa Musson - Culinary lead at FaresShare UK
  • Colin Pryor - regional centre manager at FareShare Merseyside 
  • Ash Ellwood - head of arable at Farmers Guardian

 

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