Food Recovery Organizations

Food recovery organizations and services that receive and collect excess edible food (that would otherwise be disposed) from commercial edible food generators are subject to recordkeeping, reporting and outreach requirements as outlined in the Recycling Ordinance. Find the details of these designations and their corresponding requirements below:

Food Recovery Organizations: groups collecting or receiving edible food from commercial edible food generators with a written food recovery agreement.

Food Recovery Services: groups collecting and transporting edible food from commercial edible food generators with a written food recovery agreement. (Food recovery services transport food to food recovery organizations).

Requirements for Food Recovery Organizations

• Maintain records of the following for each commercial edible food generator from which the organization receives edible food:
  • Name.
  • Address.
  • Contact information.
  • Pounds per month of edible food received.
• Maintain records of the following for each food recovery service from which the organization receives edible food:
  • Name.
  • Address.
  • Contact information.
• Submit an annual report by Jan. 31 of each year to the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department with the above information including the quantities of edible food received reported in pounds per year (see reporting form below).
• Provide written information of California and Federal Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protection to commercial edible food generators from which the Organization collects edible food.

Requirements for Food Recovery Services

• Maintain records of the following for each commercial edible food generator from which the service collects edible food:
  • Name.
  • Address.
  • Contact information.
  • Pounds per month of edible food collected.
• Maintain records of the following for each food recovery organization to which the service transports edible food
  • Name.
  • Address.
  • Contact information.
  • Pounds per month of edible food transported.
• Submit an annual report by Jan. 31 of each year to the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department with the information above including the quantities of edible food collected and transported reported in pounds per year (see reporting form below).
• Provide written information of California and Federal Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protection to commercial edible food generators from which the Service collects edible food.

Annual Reporting Form

Annual reports are for the period of Jan. 1 - Dec. 31 and are due on Jan. 31 of each year, commencing in 2023.

You may complete and submit an annual report here. 

Additional Resources for Food Recovery Organizations and Services:

California is working towards a 2025 goal to redirect and donate 20% of edible food to those in need. SB 1383 categorizes regulated food donors into two tiers that must start donating surplus edible food in 2022 and 2024 to food recovery organizations.

Commercial Edible Food Generators

Tier One Businesses - Effective January 1, 2022

• Supermarkets with gross annual sales of $200,000 or more.
• Grocery Stores with a facility size of 10,000 square feet or more.
• Food Service Providers.
• Food Distributors.
• Wholesale Food Vendors.

Tier Two Businesses - Effective January 1, 2024

• Restaurant with 250 or more seats, or a total facility size equal to or greater than 5,000 square feet.
• Hotel with an on-site food facility and 200 or more rooms.
• Health facility with an on-site food facility and 100 or more beds.
• Large venue.
• Large event.
• A state agency with a cafeteria with 250 or more seats or a total cafeteria facility size equal to or greater than 5,000 square feet.
• A local education agency with an on-site food facility.

Additional Resources for Commercial Edible Food Generators:

• Food recovery frequently asked questions
• Food Recovery Organization list – City of San Diego 
• 2022 Food recovery requirements for Tier One businesses (English)
• 2022 Requisitos para la recuperación de alimentos para los negocios de Primer Nivel (español)
• 2022 Mga kinakailangan sa pagbabawi ng pagkain para sa mga negosyong Tier One (Tagalog)
• Các yêu cầu về thu hồi thực phẩm đối với các doanh nghiệp Cấp Một năm 2022 (Vietnamese)