On September 16, 2015, USDA and EPA announced the first national goal to reduce food loss and waste by 50 percent by the year 2030. As one of the first steps, the federal government supported the 2015 Food Recovery Summit in Charleston, SC. This national meeting brought together a diverse group of stakeholders representing different areas of the food system. In follow up to the summit, EPA and USDA have developed a document entitled, U.S. 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal: A Call to Action by Stakeholders. This summary captures and reflects the input received from individuals in the private and public sector with the goal of leveraging best practices and moving to action on reducing food loss and waste. I’ve attached a draft of this living document for your information and feedback. We intend for the content to be transformed and posted to our Sustainable Management of Food web site in the near future.
EPA and USDA are very interested in your input on this summary document and learning more about new actions, accomplishments and commitments in the area of reducing wasted food. While reviewing this document, I challenge you to think beyond the footprint of your organization and think about how we can disrupt a food system that sends over 70 billion pounds of wholesome food for disposal each year. Real progress on food waste requires leaders in the private and public sectors to reconsider traditional, downstream solutions and focus on the most impactful and economically-driven strategies to prevent food waste. It is that focus on cost effective and replicable prevention strategies that was recently validated by the ReFED report.
In moving forward, EPA and USDA would like to learn how your organization is taking action to prevent, treat and/or manage food waste and how we can support your work. If you have any questions regarding the document or how your organization can take an early and visible role in the 2030 Food Loss and Reduction Goal, please contact me (suarez.lana@epa.gov) or Mark Baldwin at baldwin.mark@epa.gov.
Lana Coppolino Suarez
Acting Chief, Chemicals Management Branch (CMB)
Sustainable Management of Food
US EPA/OLEM/ORCR/RCSD
P: (703) 308-4972 E: suarez.lana@epa.gov