America First Policy Institute (AFPI) representatives recently participated in the launch of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Feed It Onward Pilot Program at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The event, held on September 5, 2025, was attended by AFPI Director of Rural Policy Tate Bennett and Senior Advisor for Rural Policy Sarah Frey, alongside EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
The Feed It Onward initiative is part of the EPA’s America 250 Agenda and aims to reduce food waste by redirecting edible food from landfills to those in need. During the launch, Frey Farms contributed two semitruck loads of fresh watermelon and sweet corn from their local harvests to the base's workforce and their families.
Food waste accounts for nearly 14 percent of municipal solid waste in landfills. The program seeks to lower this percentage while providing nutritious food to military personnel and their families, aligning with the administration’s Make America Healthy Again goals.
Sarah Frey emphasized the importance of addressing food waste: "Nearly one third of America’s food is lost or wasted before it ever reaches our tables. Thirty-one percent of our food supply goes unsold or uneaten—and 85 percent of that surplus lands in the trash." She praised Administrator Zeldin's efforts and expressed gratitude towards President Trump for highlighting this issue.
The pilot program supports AFPI’s Farmers First Driving Responsible Nutrition Policy principles, which advocate for collaboration between government and private sectors to minimize food loss. By reducing waste, there are opportunities to potentially increase farm income and provide American families with more nutritious foods.
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