24:4A-3 Nonliability for food donated.
3. a. Any donor of prepared or perishable food or any gleaner of agricultural food, which food appears to be fit for human consumption at the time it is donated to a nonprofit organization or any other person, shall not be liable for damages in any civil action or subject to criminal prosecution for any injury or death due to the condition of the food, unless the injury or death is a direct result of the gross negligence, recklessness or knowing misconduct of the donor or gleaner.
b. A food bank, nonprofit organization, or their agents who in good faith receive and distribute prepared or perishable food which appears to be fit for human consumption at the time it is distributed shall not be liable for damages in any civil action or subject to criminal prosecution for any injury or death due to the condition of the food, unless the injury or death is a direct result of the gross negligence, recklessness or knowing misconduct of the organization or an agent of the organization.
c. An owner of agricultural food who gives permission to a gleaner to enter upon his land for the purpose of harvesting donated agricultural food for distribution shall not be liable for damages in any civil action due to the presence of the gleaner on the land and shall not be liable for damages in any civil action or subject to criminal prosecution resulting from the consumption of the food gleaned or donated.
d. This section applies to good faith donations of perishable or prepared food which is not readily marketable due to appearance, freshness, grade, passage of the "best by" or other open date, surplus supply, or other conditions which do not affect its fitness for human consumption. The protections provided in this section shall apply regardless of compliance with any laws, rules, regulations, or ordinances regulating the quality or labeling of food.
L.1982, c.178, s.3; amended 2017, c.311, s.2.