The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the signing of a formal agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to renew their Federal Interagency Collaboration to Reduce Food Loss and Waste (FIFLAW). The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) also joined the collaboration to help reduce food loss and waste internationally.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf, and USAID Administrator Samantha Power signed the formal agreement renewing and enhancing the collaborative effort.
“By renewing this agreement and adding USAID into the effort, we affirm our shared commitment to coordinated action to reduce food loss and waste and educate Americans on its impacts and importance,” Vilsack said. “Individually and collectively, each of these agencies is working to combat food loss and waste from farm to table.”
The Federal Interagency Collaboration to Reduce Food Loss and Waste was first formed in October 2018 and was renewed in December 2020. Since its creation, the Federal Interagency Collaboration has published the draft National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics (PDF, 1.7 MB). The Collaboration also has forged a formal agreement with the national non-profit ReFED to leverage resources to evaluate what is effective regarding technical implementation strategies aimed at reducing food waste in the United States.
With the renewal of the agreement, collaborating agencies will strengthen coordination to continue producing educational materials, conducting outreach, community investments, voluntary programs, technical assistance, policy discussions, and public-private partnerships. The addition of USAID enables the U.S. government to expand its efforts internationally while better leveraging government resources. The agencies will work together with external partners from private sectors to drive national and global change in reducing food loss.
USDA also announced an investment by its National Institute of Food and Agriculture of $4 million towards a $1.5 million Center for Research, Behavioral Economics, Extension on Food Loss & Waste project led by Purdue University; additionally a $2.5 million Pilot Consumer Education Campaign on Food Loss & Waste project led by Ohio State University.
The Center will use a systems approach in conducting research on policies relevant to addressing inefficiencies in food systems while focusing on engaging underserved audiences including young adults as part of developing a National Extension strategy aligned with federal guidance.
Ohio State University’s pilot consumer campaign aims at creating educational messages that significantly reduce household food waste; lessons learned from this campaign will aid in forming integrated education programs for local campaigns run by governmental or non-governmental organizations.
These initiatives build upon USDA’s previous investments totaling $57 million through American Rescue Plan Act funds which includes:
- $30 Million towards Composting & Food Waste Reduction cooperative agreements over three years;
- $15 Million towards Community Food Projects & Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education awards;
- $10 Million towards Food & Agriculture Service Learning Program awards in partnership with National 4-H Council educating youth about strategies for reducing food loss/waste;
USDA has hosted two innovation fairs showcasing new developments like improved cultivars/packaging/equipment/products made out of scraps alongside several roundtables sharing success stories where cities/states/businesses took actions against losses/wastages within their operations;
Furthermore along-with EPA membership under US FLW2030 Champions expanded from 30 champions back March'20 around current count ~50 businesses/organizations publicly committed halving own operational losses/wastages before year-end target-date set at decade-close; examples include industry giants across supply chains such Danone North America Smithfield Foods Inc Starbucks Sysco Tyson Foods among others;
Globally it estimated around third-fourth portion total produce either lost wasted somewhere-between field-to-consumer chain involving spoilage/pest-damages storage/transit or even going unused ultimately resulting landfill disposals annually summing nearly eighty-billion pounds worth US alone implying missed opportunities enhanced security/growth/prosperity economically/environmentally speaking accordingly interested parties encouraged visit www.usda.gov/foodlossandwaste detailed information updates related ongoing efforts/projects underway currently concerning matter addressed herein discussed above briefly albeit comprehensively enough ensuring wider awareness participation wherever feasible practical overall per se thus concluded officially released statement end quote unquote closing remarks note thereby...
