REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Memorandum of Understanding Among Local Public Agencies in Santa Clara County for Countywide Food Recovery Program
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Promote Sustainability and Environmental Protection
BACKGROUND
In 2016, California Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) was adopted, setting goals to reduce the disposal of organic waste in landfills in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address food insecurity. California sends 11.2 billion pounds of food to landfills annually, some of which is still fresh enough to have been recovered to feed people in need, while 9.2 million Californians experienced food insecurity in 2020. In November 2020 the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) developed regulations requiring jurisdictions to establish edible food recovery programs to recover 20 percent of edible food that would otherwise be sent to landfills to feed people in need.
The Santa Clara County Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission (RWRC) entered into an agreement with Joint Venture Silicon Valley (JVSV) to develop and manage a countywide edible food recovery program (Program) to take advantage of economies of scale. In December 2021 the City adopted Ordinance 2035 which established Chapter 8.26 of "The Code of the City of Santa Clara, California" entitled "Edible Food Recovery." Other jurisdictions in Santa Clara County adopted similar ordinances to ensure uniform requirements throughout the county to make it easier for businesses with locations in multiple cities and food recovery organizations to implement requirements because their food recovery efforts often cross jurisdictional boundaries.
On May 23, 2023, the City Council adopted a one-year term Memorandum of Understanding Among Local Public Agencies in Santa Clara County for Food Recovery Program Costs (MOU) to define participant roles and funding levels, which expires on June 30, 2024.
DISCUSSION
There are 2,077 edible food generators locat...
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