WASHINGTON, June 12, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the White House have announced the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics. This initiative is part of President Biden’s comprehensive approach to addressing climate change, food security, environmental justice, and promoting a circular economy.
The strategy outlines specific goals for government partners, retailers, and consumers to prevent food loss and waste, increase recycling of organic materials, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for households and businesses, and foster cleaner communities. It aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health released in September 2022.
“USDA is committed to reducing food loss and waste,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This National Strategy charts a course to reduce our nation’s food loss and waste by 50% by 2030.” Vilsack emphasized that everyone has a role in this effort.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan highlighted the economic and environmental impacts of food waste: “Each year food produced in the United States ends up in landfills... This waste hurts our economy... contributes to climate pollution.” He noted that the strategy offers comprehensive actions to mitigate these issues.
FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf stressed the importance of collaboration: “The FDA is committed to completing the actions outlined in the National Strategy... We encourage all stakeholders to take advantage of these resources as we work together.”
Secretary Vilsack presented the strategy at the ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit in Baltimore, Md., emphasizing its role in enhancing agriculture's capacity to address global food security and climate change.
Recent EPA research indicates that 58% of methane emissions from landfills are due to food waste. The strategy aims to divert organic waste from landfills to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly.
The strategy sets four objectives:
1. Prevent food loss.
2. Prevent food waste.
3. Increase recycling rates for organic waste.
4. Support policies incentivizing prevention of food loss/waste and organics recycling.
Priority USDA actions include investing $2.5 million from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) for consumer messaging campaigns on reducing food waste; funding a new NIFA $1.5 million Center for Research on Food Loss and Waste; supporting research on innovative packaging technology; and working with farmers to reduce on-farm food loss.
Public-private partnerships are crucial for achieving these goals. On June 1, USDA renewed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA). Additionally, USDA is expanding its U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions pledge program with commitments from companies like Starbucks, Hilton, and Kroger.
The strategy builds on over $60 million in prior USDA investments aimed at reducing food loss and waste.
For more information about Food Loss and Waste Reduction activities visit:
- USDA: Food Loss and Waste
- FDA: Food Loss and Waste
- EPA: Sustainable Management of Food
USDA continues its mission under the Biden-Harris Administration by transforming America’s food system towards resilience, equity, access to nutritious foods, market fairness for producers, climate-smart practices, infrastructure investments in rural areas, clean energy capabilities, removing systemic barriers within USDA itself.
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