Publix Grocery Chain Buys Unused Produce, Milk From Florida Farmers, Donates to Food Banks

(Illustration - Getty Images)

Publix announced on April 22 that it would be purchasing fresh produce and milk from Florida farmers struggling to find customers and donating it to local Feeding America food banks to help mitigate food shortages during the current shutdown.

“As a food retailer, we have the unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the needs of families and farmers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic,” Publix CEO Todd Jones shared in a press release. “In this time of uncertainty, we are grateful to be able to help Florida’s produce farmers, southeastern dairies and families in our communities.”

The grocery chain kicked off the initiative last Wednesday, and it is expected to run for several weeks, providing much-needed revenue for the farmers while helping out communities that have been hit hard by containment measures put in place over the virus.

The program will purchase more than 150,000 pounds (approx. 68,039 kg) of produce from local farmers and 43,500 gallons (approx. 164,665 liters) of milk, then turn around and donate all the food purchased.

“It’s a win-win for our farmers who are feeling the impact of decreased demand and the families who are in need of nutrient rich milk during this pandemic,” said president of Southeast Milk Joe Wright.

An estimated 17.1 million people will experience food insecurity as a result of school closures and unemployment during the shutdown, according to Feeding America.

Meanwhile, it’s believed that Florida’s farming industry will lose roughly $522 million through the middle of April alone, largely due to mass closures and decreased purchasing power by entire communities. Without ways to repurpose the mass quantities of food initially bound for commercial use in hotels, restaurants, and schools, and without the financial capital to transport it elsewhere, farmers have had little choice but to let their crops and livestock products sit and spoil.

One report explained that a handful of farmers are upset that the initiative didn’t come four weeks earlier than it did, as many farmers have already been dealing with devastating financial losses, while thousands of pounds of food has gone to waste. Still, the grocery company is being applauded now for taking the step to pitch in.

Then, of course, there are the thousands of families who will be helped by the initiative on the consumer end.

“Dairy is perhaps the most requested but least provided item in food banks,” explained Colleen Larson, UF/IFAS regional dairy extension agent in south Florida. “Many dairy farmers would have been more than willing to donate the milk but couldn’t afford to process it.”

(Illustration - Felix Mizioznikov/Shutterstock)

Publix, on the other hand, boasts processing plants scattered across the state of Florida. So, they'll be able to step in and do what the farmers themselves could not, and provide some much-needed nutrition for those who have no other way to get it. Add in that it supports local farmers, and it’s clear that Publix is taking a step in the right direction.

Publix Super Markets Charities also recently made donations totaling US$2 million to support Feeding America member food banks during the shutdown.