Gleaning is a practice with history that dates back to biblical times but has acquired a new importance in today’s highly commercial agricultural world. Gleaning is the practice of collecting all the left behind crops after the commercial harvest and using them for non-profitable gains. These crops can go towards feeding those who cannot afford their own food.
This idea was introduced in the Old Testament, which states that Farmer’s should leave a plot of their land unharvested and not attempt to harvest all the left behind crops. In more recent years the meaning of the term has moved away from its relationship with religion and more with sustainable living.
The United States wastes an approximate $165 billion dollars of food each year. This is an astounding fact that represents and unfathomable amount of crops that go unharvested, all whilst millions go hungry.
Todays highly commercial and wasteful agricultural market calls for a gleaning reform. Companies are so concerned with profits that they would rather let leftover crops rot in their fields rather than feed the less fortunate. Groups like the society of St. Andre have been making efforts on the small scale to glean local farms to aid the hungry. From just one small farm in Tennessee they were able to glean over 400 pounds of squash, and peppers. “96 billion pounds of food are left — this is pre-consumer food — goes to waste in this country,” says Linda Tozer of the Society of St. Andrew.
Sources:
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/20/133059889/gleaning-a-harvest-for-the-needy-by-fighting-waste