The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week unveiled a multiagency strategy to combat food waste across the country.
The initiative, entitled Winning on Reducing Food Waste Strategy, outlines six primary areas of focus for the three agencies. Those include: boosting consumer education and outreach, bettering coordination around food loss and measuring waste, encouraging less waste within federal agencies themselves, working with private companies to decrease waste along the supply chain and clearly communicating details about food safety as they pertain to food donations.
“Our nation’s agricultural abundance should be used to nourish those in need, not fill the trash,” USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a press release. “As the world’s population continues to grow to nearly 10 billion people by 2050 and the food systems continue to evolve, now is the time for action to educate consumers and businesses alike on the need for food waste reduction.”
The new strategy was announced during what the Trump administration has designated as Winning on Food Waste Reduction Month. In America, at least one-third of the food that’s available remains uneaten as a result of waste or loss, according to government figures.