Amanda Griswold, Student Worker, County of San Diego Land Use and Environment Group

In the San Diego Region, one in seven people are food insecure, while 40% of the food produced goes to waste. To tackle this problem and better understand our food system, the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors initiated the Live Well San Diego Food System Initiative in 2016. This initiative works towards a robust and resilient local food system that builds healthy communities, supports the economy, and enhances the environment.

To see how we are doing in San Diego, each year, the Initiative publishes the State of the Food System Report to guide the public and policy makers about the current state of the food system in our region and find the areas of opportunity to create change towards a better local food system.

The report shares how we can take action to tackle issues like food waste and rescuing edible food to feed those in need.

One solution is to tap into the potential of 111,997 fruit and citrus trees in residential yards in the county. If 10 percent of these residents donate to gleaners, organizations that collect excess produce from businesses, yards and crops, then potentially 2,352,000 pounds of fruit and citrus produced yearly can feed people in need and be kept out of the landfill.

We see this solution in action with one of the largest gleaners in San Diego, Produce Good . Since 2010, the organization has recovered over 340,000 pounds of food destined for the landfill and provided over 1 million servings through its role as a connector between 118 fresh produce sources and food insecure populations.

Individuals can also make small actions to support and positively impact the food system in San Diego. Check out the infographic below to find out how.

For more information on how to get involved in the Live Well San Diego Food System Initiative , please contact Domingo Vigil, Domingo.Vigil@sdcounty.ca.gov, 619.685.2287