TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — According to a 2010 U.S. Department of Agriculture report, around 133 billion pounds of food ended up in American landfills in just one year.
In Arizona, Borderlands Produce Rescue catches some of the produce, previously destined for landfills, and packages it up for Arizonans for a $15 donation.
They work with the middlemen between farmers and big grocery chains, taking in or "rescuing" their rejected fruits and vegetables.
“Sometimes it's rain-stained, sometimes it's a little bit of over-saturation of the market," said Riky Arboisiere, the Southern Arizona site director for Borderlands Produce Rescue. "They'll dump out of produce, and instead of dumping it out, we are in place to say, 'give it to us, and we'll give it to the people.'”
He says he's noticed an increase in cars pulling up to their Saturday morning farm stands near the beginning of 2025, and often, they don't have enough produce for some of the later arrivals.
"We'll get rid of everything and then we still have to turn away 50 to 100 cars," he said.
The U.S.D.A. does anticipate a 2.2% rise in all food prices in 2025, and though that's consistent with 2024, from 2020 to 2024 the all-food Consumer Price Index rose by 23.6% which is higher than the all-items CPI over the same four year period.
From 2020 to 2024, the all-food Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 23.6 percent, a higher increase than the all-items CPI, which grew 21.2 percent over the same period. In 2022, food prices increased by 9.9%, which is higher than any other year since 1979.
For those who are struggling, Borderlands Produce Rescue says they don't turn people away. Even if they can't supply the recommended $15 donation.
"We're an organization that really wants to help everybody," Arboisiere said. "Anybody that comes and says 'Hey I'm in need of a little bit of help. Can you guys spare a little bit or something?' We're always going to be willing to make up a little bit of a goody box or a little help box."
Borderlands Produce Rescue sets up farm stands on Saturday mornings at rotating locations.
A suggested $15 donation gets you around 75 pounds of mixed produce.
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