US Government Tackles Nation’s Food Waste

To help combat America’s food waste problem, the US Department of Agriculture and the US Environmental Protection Agency have announced the nation’s first food waste reduction goal, with a target of 50 percent reduction by 2030. The average family throws away nearly $1,500—or two million calories—in uneaten food every year, while one in six Americans don’t have enough to eat. Even more dramatic, food loss and waste accounts for nearly a third—133 billion pounds—of the overall available food supply to the nation’s consumers, restaurants, and grocery retailers. “Let’s feed people, not landfills,” EPA administrator Gina McCarthy said. “By reducing wasted food in landfills, we cut harmful methane emissions that fuel climate change, conserve our natural resources, and protect our planet for future generations.”