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Last week, Lee Zeldin, an administrator with the Environmental Protection Agency, joined forces with a local farm to bring over 20 pallets of produce to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., as part of a nationwide collaboration to reduce food waste.
Airmen and their families on base were treated to hundreds of free watermelon, corn and pumpkins and watermelon juice under the EPA's "Feed It Onward" initiative to connect farmers with nearby military installations to share their bounty with those who serve.
As a retired Army officer himself, Zeldin first expressed his thanks to "the line of patriots" and their families, as well as retirees who were in the audience for the event.
"I'm thinking about their collective service and stories of sacrifice … at times holidays, anniversaries and birthdays missed. The decision to serve in our military may be difficult for some … and for those who continue to raise their hand [to serve] is something for the rest of America to take a step back and reflect on, maybe every day of our lives," he said.
"Everything we cherish about being able to live in the greatest country in the history of the world is all made possible because of the men and women who answer the call to defend our freedom, our liberty. I'm honored to be able to say thank you for your service."
He shared how the collaboration came about when addressing the amount of food that is wasted in this country and how it needs to be cut down. He cited an EPA study about the cost of food waste to each American consumer being about $728 per year.
The Feed It Onward program, which is also part of the country's 250th birthday celebration next year, seeks to connect food donors with communities in need while reducing the environmental impact of food waste in landfills.
Zeldin said he believes today's event will serve as an inspiration for other farms across the nation to partner with the Department of War to ensure that this food goes to good use instead of landfills. From the event last week, he said, "we can all serve as ambassadors" to talk about the many ways to address and solve this issue.
Sarah Frey, chief executive officer of the farm, is one of those passionate ambassadors who brings a depth of understanding about this issue. What started as a small truck route at age 16 has grown into a multi-state operation and a supplier to major retailers. Her business is located about an hour and a half east of the base, and while they grow all types of fresh fruits and vegetables, they are the nation's leading producer of pumpkins.
With the amount of acreage she manages, Frey said she sees firsthand the amount of food that gets wasted — at the consumer and the farm level.
She told the audience that when they take their "perfectly delicious melons home," to just remember that it was rejected at the grocer because it wasn't the right size or had a small imperfection according to their retail standards. So, the waste, she emphasized, has nothing to do with the quality of the product, but something else.
"This food is so good and nourishes our body, and it kills me to see so much go to waste," she said. "Through Feed It Onward, I feel we have an opportunity to connect the military bases across the U.S. with farmers, and to get fresh food to our military heroes, [and] for this to be an incredibly successful partnership that will ultimately reduce the amount of food that is wasted in our country."
On behalf of the men and women at team Scott, Air Force Col. Matt Collins, 375th Air Mobility Wing and installation commander, thanked the EPA and the farm, as well as those who worked behind the scenes to bring this fresh "fall-themed" produce to the base.
"This exemplifies the selfless collaboration for which team Scott is known and highlights the amazing relationship our installation enjoys with our local community. We deeply appreciate their commitment to our service members and their families."
Air Force 1st Lt. Colton Stanislawski, 458th Airlift Squadron, added, "I can't think of a better way to use the produce that doesn't fit the bill at the grocery stores. It's obvious there's a huge demand for it, and for it to go to waste would be quite a shame. As we see here, it only took about 15 minutes for it to pretty much be gone … so this is great."
