B.C. farmer behind 'Ugly Produce Day' spreading appreciation for misshapen veggies

When it comes to looks, not all produce is created equal.

Some vegetables can be misshaped or too big or small. Others may have blemishes.

But a Surrey, B.C., farmer wants people to stop judging the quality of produce solely by how it looks.

And he’s hoping to inspire a movement to give away ugly vegetables and cut down on wasted crops.

“About 30 per cent off all crops grown never make it to the store, whether it’s logistic issues or just the way it looks,” said Tyler Heppell of Heppell Potato Corp.

“If you go look at our grocery stores, everything has to look pristine to be sold and that’s something we’re trying to change,” he added.

Now Heppell has started a national “Ugly Produce Day” where imperfect produce, which he says is still nutritious, is given away.

“Foodbanks are being overrun right now with new clients and not being able to provide for everyone. And yet there is this rampant food waste happening,” said Heppell.

His farm has been holding a food giveaway event for years, asking for donations to the food bank from those able to. For everyone else, the food is free.

Now, he says, other farms are joining in.

“We gave away almost 30,000 pounds of potatoes, 5,000 pounds of squash and there was 11,000 pounds of carrots as well,” he said of his farm’s recent giveaway event.

He hopes dozens of farms in B.C. will take part in the upcoming event.

B.C.’s agriculture minister likes the idea.

“Just because something doesn’t look pretty, it doesn’t mean it’s not nutritious,” said Pam Alexis, MLA for Abbotsford-Mission.

“We’re always looking at ways to improve food security and this is just another way,” she explained.

Heppell said while not all produce may be attractive, and some may need imperfections cut out, the time is ripe to give ugly food a chance.