SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Today, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin joined forces with the CEO of Frey Farms, Sarah Frey, to bring over 20 pallets of produce to Scott AFB as part of a nationwide collaboration to reduce food waste.
Airmen and their families here were treated to hundreds of free watermelon, corn and pumpkins and their Tsamma 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. 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 consumer to be about $728 per year. The Feed in Onward program, which is also part of the America’s 250th Celebration, seeks to connect food donors with communities in need while reducing the environmental impact of food waste in landfills.
He said he believes today’s event will serve as inspiration for other farms across the nation to partner with the Department of Defense to ensure that this food goes to good use instead of landfills. From today, he said, “we can all serve as ambassadors” to talk about the many ways to address and solve this issue.
Sarah 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. Frey Farms is located about 1 and a half hours east of the base near Mount Vernon, 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, she said she sees first-hand 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 in 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, Col. Matt Collins, 375th Air Mobility Wing and Installation commander, thanked the EPA and Frey Farms, as well as those who worked behind the scenes to bring this fresh “fall-themed” produce to Team Scott.
“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.”
First 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.”