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Donate Crops

When you hear yourself saying, “It’s a shame this has to go to waste,” that’s when you should call the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA). If you have produce that you will be unable to sell, or that will simply be left to rot in fields or will be sent to a landfill, then we need to talk!

Donate CropsSoSA has nationwide partnerships with food banks, food pantries, churches, civic organizations, and other nonprofits and successfully distributed more than 2 million pounds of food through the USDA Farmers to Families program.

Our goal is to do what works best for you and your business. One of SoSA’s primary goals is to make charitable food donation a frustration-free process for the many farmers, growers, and providers who generously share when they have unsold or unused food.

One the best parts of partnering with SoSA is we handle all of the logistics for getting your fresh, but unmarketable produce to thousands of feeding agencies across the country.

Donate CropsAll you have to do is call, text, or email the coordinator for your region. (Or just click the “Donate Crops” button above and we will contact you.)

In SoSA’s 40+ years of experience, we’ve learned that when it comes to their farms, farmers know best. We follow your instructions about the collection methods, times, locations, and even the agencies you prefer to support or avoid.

Also, on-site SoSA staff have completed the Produce Safety Alliance’s Grower Training course to ensure the latest education regarding produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, GAPs, and food safety.

This ensures at least one supervisor or responsible party leading an event on/near your farm has successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under the standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the FDA.

This training covered topics related to:

  • Produce Safety
  • Worker Health and Hygiene
  • Soil Amendments
  • Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
  • Agricultural Water
  • Postharvest Handling
  • Sanitation
  • How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

SoSA is also privileged to work alongside The Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) each year at their food shows to prevent food waste and feed hungry people using surplus fruits and vegetables.

The SEPC has a longstanding history of richly supporting produce farmers, suppliers, buyers, and consumers in the Southeast.

See below for some additional reasons, hundreds of farmers choose SoSA as their nonprofit distribution partner every year:

  • We track exactly which agencies receive the produce you donate and where it is distributed.
  • We understand the importance of food safety and traceability standards.
  • We have 40+ years’ experience, working with thousands of growers across the United States.
  • SoSA’s network has distributed more than 850 million pounds of healthy fruits and vegetables across the country.
  • We protect you, the grower, with waivers, insurance, and best practices.

Donate CropsYou are protected from liability concerns through the Bill Emerson “Good Samaritan” Food Donation Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1996. We, as a nonprofit, ensure that you and the recipients are 100% protected from liability. (Our reporting system allows complete traceability through the donation process.)

It doesn’t matter where the food is located, so long as it’s good to eat.

  • Produce still in the field or orchard after your harvesters have finished? No Problem.
  • End of season at the U-Pick farm or Agritourism business? SoSA can handle it.
  • Produce graded out at the packing house? SoSA can handle that too.
  • Truckload rejected at warehouse, distribution center, or grocery store? Call 434-851-3442.
  • Produce on a truck involved in an accident? Same, call 434-851-3442 today.

All produce you give to the Society of St. Andrew is distributed freely, always without any charge. Our operating expenses are covered by donations from individuals, churches and civic organizations, and grants. You will receive an end-of-year statement acknowledging the quantity and variety of your charitable donations. Many growers use these statements when filing their taxes.

Have Crops to Donate? Fill out this form.

When you fill out this form, your contact information will go to a coordinator for your state. That person will get back to you within 24 hours.

Note:  We ask what county you are in to help us send specific, helpful information. To find what county you live in, use this form. In Virginia only, cities are not inside of counties — enter the county you are most closely associated with.

  • Thank you for all you do.–Wanemah Kuykendall

  • To all the farmers who donate their life-saving crops to be God’s hands and feet, feeding the hungry, my grateful appreciation for doing what I cannot do myself.–Jean Mosteller

  • Many thanks to you who prepare the soil, furnish the seeds, fertilizer, and machinery to grow the food the Society of St. Andrew’s Club helps distribute. The long hours when the weather cooperates leaves your body tired but thankful you were able to do the labor. I no longer am able to do the work but until I was 85 years old, I did it on the small scale. We were surrounded with older widow women so we gathered and distributed our large garden to our neighbors. I now have a neighbor who uses my land and tools to make a small garden so I do still have the produce at 97 ½ years. Many thanks…–Emma Catlett

  • Thank you, farmers, for your intentional & tireless efforts as partners in helping feed the hungry & vulnerable of our communities, in so many places.–Tom Ballard

  • Thank you so much for donating your excess crops to feed the hungry. You help ensure that good food is made available to feed hungry families. God bless you.–Margaret Barton

  • I know first-hand how hard farming is and seasonal uncertainties are a fact of life for those doing this work. Thank you for sharing what you produce!–Georgia Wilson

  • Thank you for joining us in being the hands and feet of Christ, as we feed the hungry.–Carlos Liceaga

  • Thank you for being such a blessing to others. May you be greatly blessed in return.–Nancy Kent