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Updated November 2, 2016
Policy Issues Involving Food Loss and Waste
Food loss refers to edible food that is available for human
Figure 1. Estimates of Food Loss, by Food Group
consumption but is not eaten. This could occur for any
number of reasons, including cooking loss and natural
shrinkage; loss from mold, pests, or inadequate climate
control; and plate waste. Food waste is a component of
food loss and refers to food discarded by retailers and
consumers due to quality concerns or undesirable product
attributes (e.g., imperfect produce).
In the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) reports that food loss accounts for an estimated
31% (133 billion pounds) of all food available for human
consumption (based on 2010 data). Previous USDA loss
estimates have ranged from 20% to 40%. USDA’s most
recent estimates likely understates total U.S. losses, as it
does not account for losses at the farm and losses between
Source: USDA, “ERS’s Food Loss Data Help Inform the Food Waste
the farm and retail level because of data limitations. USDA
Discussion,” June 2013.
estimates U.S. food losses to be worth $161.6 billion in
2010. On a per capita basis, total food loss was valued at
Figure 2. Estimate of Food Waste Disposal, by Sector
$522 annually: $151 per year at the retail level and $371 at
the consumer level. At the consumer level, this represents
about 9% of the roughly $4,000 average amount spent on
food per person in 2010.
Globally, the United Nations reports that about one-third of
food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted.
Other estimates of loss worldwide indicate that waste and
loss rates may be even greater but may vary by
country/region or by the type of food.
USDA estimates food loss accounts for 31% of food
available for human consumption in the United States
Source: BSR, Food Waste: Tier 1 Assessment, March 2012,
Food waste is associated with a series of policy concerns
http://www.foodwastealliance.org/ .
spanning economic, social, and environmental impacts.
Economic impacts include financial and disposal costs to
Efforts to Reduce Food Loss
food producers, processors, and distributors and also longer
In 2013, USDA launched the “U.S. Food Waste Challenge”
term concerns about meeting food needs for an increasing
to reduce, recover, and recycle food waste across the food
U.S. and global population. Social impacts include concerns
chain, enlisting efforts by a range of partner organizations
about food insecurity and related nutritional concerns. The
including producer groups, processors, manufacturers,
U.N. reports that 24% of all food calories produced go
retailers, and others in the private sector; charitable and
uneaten worldwide. In the United States, an estimated 33%
faith-based organizations; other federal government
of all available food calories were uneaten. Environmental
agencies; state, local, and tribal governments; schools; and
and natural resource impacts raise concerns over the use of
community organizations. As part of this effort, the U.S.
land, water, energy, and inputs needed to produce, process,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched its
and distribute food as well as greenhouse gases that are
“Food Recovery Challenge” to provide participants with
generated when food waste is sent to landfills.
data management software and technical assistance to help
Food loss occurs across all major food groups (Figure 1).
quantify and improve their food management practices.
In the United States, by volume, vegetables and dairy
products together account for 38% of estimated food losses,
Initially USDA stated its goal was to enlist 400 partner
with another 28% of losses due to fruit and grain products.
organizations by 2015. By April 2015, USDA claimed that
Food waste and loss also occurs throughout the supply
more than 4,000 participants were working to reduce food
chain. By sector, most U.S. food waste occurs at the
loss and waste in their operations. In September 2015,
consumer and food service level, accounting for nearly 90%
USDA established the “first-ever national food waste
of all food waste combined (Figure 2).
reduction goal,” calling for a 50% reduction by 2030.
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Policy Issues Involving Food Loss and Waste
(Previously, the Clinton Administration initiated efforts
of policy options has been initiated by some federal and
geared at food recovery, salvage, and gleaning.)
state agencies and has been promoted by U.S. and
international academic, business, and consumer advocacy
Related efforts have been initiated in the private sector.
group often representing diverse interests (such as Feeding
Walmart began developing sustainable standards for its
America, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Walmart,
products in 2009 and compiles disposal and recovery data
and the Food Waste Reduction Alliance). Among the types
across its supply chain (to promote recycling, repurposing,
of policy options being promoted are the following:
and reuse), donates food to local food banks and hunger
relief organizations, and reuses organic material. The Food
Support consumer and end-user education and
Waste Reduction Alliance involves food industry trade
awareness campaigns regarding food waste;
associations (including the Grocery Manufacturers
Address food labeling rules to make date labeling more
Association, the Food Marketing Institute, and the National
uniform (rather than the current array of “best-if-used-
Restaurant Association) along with manufacturing,
by,” expiration, packing, or pull dates) and specify
retailing, and food service companies and partners from the
indicator labels regarding time and temperature
anti-hunger community and the waste management sector.
requirements to ensure safety, or exempt certain shelf-
Ongoing projects involve food donations, redirection of
stable foods from date labeling;
waste stream products to secondary markets, and diversion
Clarify food safety guidelines and regulatory
of biological waste for reuse by separating out other
enforcement regarding date labels, which address food
recyclable waste.
quality and not necessarily food safety;
Legislative Options to Reduce Food Loss
Promote food recovery efforts, including food reuse,
The types of corrective actions and policy options widely
salvage, and gleaning;
recognized to address food waste and loss—as supported by
Provide tax credits and liability protection to businesses
the Administration’s efforts and also within various private
to encourage charitable food donations; and
sector initiatives—are those embedded in EPA’s Food
Provide incentives to discourage food waste from going
Recovery Hierarchy (shown below). These include (in order
into landfills, including promotion of “less than perfect”
of most preferred) reducing the amount of surplus food,
fruits and vegetables, product development using food
donating food to those in need, redirect/reuse for animal
byproducts (for use in further food processing or other
feed and other industrial uses, and composting biological
technology innovations), and market development of
waste (e.g., use to amend soils). Incineration and landfill is
reusable or recyclable materials (e.g., secondary uses
considered the least preferred disposal method, according to
EPA’s prioritization
such as biogas or animal feed) or for use in composting.
.
In December 2015, as part of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-113), Congress made
permanent the (formerly temporary) enhanced charitable
deduction for contributions of food inventory, extending
and expanding the charitable tax deductions for food
donations. Generally, food donors are protected from
liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food
Donation Act (42 U.S.C. §1791), unless they are negligent.
Comprehensive food waste and recovery legislation has
been introduced in both the House (H.R. 4184) and Senate
(S. 3108). These bills would expand the mission and
funding for several existing federal programs to cover a
range of food waste efforts, including the additional
funding for loans and grants to expand use of composting
and energy projects. These bills would also modify federal
food date labeling requirements, amend federal agency and
national school lunch procurement policies, create a USDA
Given that an overwhelming share of food loss occurs at the
Office of Food Recovery to coordinate across federal
consumer and food service segments, many initiatives
programs, support consumer education campaigns, and
addressing food loss focus foremost on raising awareness
require that USDA further study and report on food waste
and educating consumers and food preparers. Related
and donations by retailers. In addition, two other bills
policies that could help reduce consumer waste include
specifically address federal food date labeling requirements
knowing when food goes bad or becomes a food safety
(H.R. 5298; S. 2947). Another bill would amend laws
concern (rather than merely a food quality concern), buying
governing federal food donations (H.R. 4382) to require
imperfect produce (e.g., non-uniform grades, undesirable
reporting on food waste by certain federal contractors.
color or blemishes), and storing and cooking food in a
manner that minimizes spoilage and risks, thereby reducing
Renée Johnson, Specialist in Agricultural Policy
waste (e.g., observing proper time/temperature profiles).
IF10317
To date, there have been few direct or comprehensive
legislative efforts by Congress to address food loss. A range
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Policy Issues Involving Food Loss and Waste
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