States Fight Food Waste & Reduce Hunger Through New Programs

In the United States, several states are introducing new programs that they hope will help to curb food waste. These programs take food that would otherwise be tossed in landfills, and find a use for it. By doing this, proponents hope to mitigate some of the effects of food waste on climate change. Additionally, food redistribution can help feed people who may otherwise struggle to afford adequate amounts of food.

Food waste is a significant, though often ignored, problem throughout the world. In the United States alone, between thirty and forty percent of the food supply is wasted according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Yet an estimated 44 million Americans grapple with hunger each day. 

There are many reasons that food is wasted. Although food products may still be safe to eat, they could fail to meet industry standards for appearance. Fluctuating prices also often play a large role in food waste. If the price of a crop is low, it may be left in the field to rot rather than being harvested and sold. Food may also become damaged or spoiled, leading to it being tossed out. Food may also be wasted at restaurants and in homes when it goes uneaten and is thrown away. 

Some states, including California and Vermont, are hoping to curb food waste through programs that convert discarded food to compost or energy. Other states have implemented programs that require grocers and other large retailers to Donate food that would be thrown away. The state of Maryland has incentivized farmers to Donate excess crops by offering tax credits to those who do so. 

All of these programs will help to reduce the amount of food wasted in the United States each year. Doing so is a vital part of slowing Climate change. If food is not consumed or composted, it is typically tossed into landfills. There, it emits methane gas as it breaks down. Methane gas is a greenhouse gas that has a warming potential far greater than carbon dioxide. For this reason, keeping food out of landfills is crucial. Indeed, about eight percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions are caused by wasted food. 

Food production also requires the use of many other resources. These include land, water, and fossil fuels for shipping among others. Land use for agriculture, particularly for cattle ranching, is driving devastating deforestation in several parts of the world. This includes the Brazilian Amazon. Deforestation destroys ecosystems and limits the earth’s ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Water waste is also an intrinsic part of food waste. The United State’s food system, or the areas of the economy that domestically produce food and beverages, uses one-third of all of the freshwater consumed by the country. This means that when food is thrown away, this water is essentially being wasted. Additionally, agricultural Pollution from crops and animals threatens many freshwater sources.

Throwing away perfectly edible food is also a humanitarian issue. This food could instead be redistributed amongst those who are struggling with food insecurity due to inflation and rising costs of living. 

As more states introduce initiatives to cut food waste, the United States moves closer to a 2015 goal set by the USDA. This goal aims to cut the amount of food that the nation wastes in half by 2030. However, the USDA lacks a cohesive plan to systematically reduce food waste. Although individual states have created their own initiatives, it remains to be seen whether efforts will have a national impact. Additionally, some experts worry that the state initiatives may prioritize redistributing food or composting unwanted food, rather than truly reducing food waste. 

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• Landfills in Four Cities Emit As Much Methane as Two Million Cars, New Study Finds
• How “Community Fridges” Can Help People in Need and Reduce Waste

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