Food Business News - July 2, 2013 - 9

Editorial
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Neil N. Sosland
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L. Joshua Sosland
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Eric J. Schroeder

MORTON SOSLAND

editor@sosland.com

Implications of campaign
to reduce waste

Senior editor, markets
Ron Sterk
Associate editor
Jeﬀ Gelski
Assistant editor, markets
Laura Lloyd
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Allison Gibeson
Erica Shaﬀer
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graphics, data
Christina Sullivan
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Lon Davis
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July 2, 2013

educe, recover and recycle are the
While no target has been set for reducing
words the U.S. Department of Agricul- food waste, the language used — “to lead
ture is using to drive a newly launched a fundamental shift in how we think about
campaign to slash the estimated 30% to 40% and manage food and food waste” — leaves
of food that ends up being wasted. Tied at no doubt about the dimensions of what the
the federal level to Environmental Protection U.S.D.A. wants to achieve. When it comes to
Agency efforts to reduce the quantity of food “partners,” the goals are lofty indeed — 400
dumped on landfills, the campaign has en- partner organizations by 2015 and 1,000 by
listed the support of private sector companies 2020. General Mills, which proudly notes its
like Unilever and General Mills as well as non- role as a founding partner, has made a comgovernmental groups like Feeding America, mitment pointing the way for other food manthe Food Waste Reduction Alliance and Rock ufacturers. It has established a direct comand Wrap It Up! Although not directly joined, munication link to Feeding America, which is
it is more than coincidence that the
Food and Agriculture Organization
The U.S.D.A. places U.S. food waste at 30% to 40%,
of the United Nations is emphasizing the need to improve food syswhich relates to 133 billion pounds of food that never
tems throughout the world, focusing on reducing waste and improvmakes it into stomachs from retail food stores, restauing dietary nutrition.
While the quantity of food, either
rants and homes.
in America or around the world,
that is produced but never consumed is a rough estimate, there
is agreement that this waste requires reduc- the national leader of regional food banks. It
tion. The F.A.O. places waste at a third of the has added capabilities for donating both surfood produced for human consumption. In the plus food ingredients and packaging as well
United States where the advanced economy as finished products. These steps, the commight encourage both less (greater efficiency pany says, could save an estimated 30 million
in production and distribution) and heavier pounds of waste annually.
Such positive steps by a single company
losses (extravagance), the U.S.D.A. places
food waste at 30% to 40%, which relates to 133 pales when compared with Economic Rebillion pounds of food that never makes it into search Service estimates that 133 billion
stomachs from retail food stores, restaurants pounds were not eaten out of the aggregate of
and homes. That loss, which omits waste in 430 billion pounds of food meant for human
production, marketing and manufacturing, is consumption in the United States. The waste
valued at $390 per U.S. consumer, equal to a represents shrinkage during preparation,
perishability and loss-related characteristics,
month’s average food outlay.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, in consumers’ tastes and preferences and mishailing the start of what he calls the “U.S. judgments about the amount to buy. Each of
Food Waste Challenge,” declared, “We have these items will be addressed through cutting
the opportunity to better educate folks about waste in school lunch programs, by educating
the problem of food waste and begin to ad- consumers on how to waste less and conductdress this problem.” He cited the plus from ing research to identify new technologies that
E.P.A. cooperation as well as targeting private would reduce food waste.
Little imagination is required to understand
companies in support. He added that once
people understand they are throwing away up how even minimal success in achieving these
to 40% of their food, they will join this effort, goals will bring about fundamental change in
not just to assure that food reaches people the food market. There is no better way to
needing it but to reduce the volume going to maintain awareness of what is under way than
landfills where it decomposes to create green- by being a partner. In so doing watch will be
house gases. Food makes up the largest vol- kept over how a third of America’s food is processed, sold and consumed, or wasted. FBN
ume reaching landfills, it was noted.

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Food Business News - July 2, 2013

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