NC H938

Designates the third Thursday in September each year as Food Waste Prevention Day in North Carolina.

Directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish a public awareness campaign on food waste prevention, with $50,000 in nonrecurring funding for fiscal year 2021-2022.

Creates a 14-member North Carolina Food Waste Task Force within the Department of Health and Human Services to identify factors contributing to food waste and recommend strategies, policies, and legislative actions to prevent waste and increase food donations; task force must report findings by May 1, 2022.

Appropriates $50,000 to North Carolina State University for the Safe Plates Program to develop standard operating procedures and best practices for prepared food recovery, including training resources for county health departments and community food recovery programs.

Urges large food retailers to reduce food waste through inventory upgrades, farmer partnerships, modified cosmetic standards for produce, consumer education campaigns, and distribution systems for surplus food to charities.