From Farm to Trash

Bunches of fresh broccoli, spinach, and kale sit in a 15-foot-tall stack, ripe for the picking. The greens look good enough to eat, but there isn’t a ­single ­shopper in sight—and for good reason. The vegetables are piled in a landfill in California’s Salinas Valley. 

The area produces about 70 percent of U.S. salad greens, but not all of them reach consumers. Local growers regularly dump truckloads of ­vegetables into the landfill because they’re misshapen, have minor bruises or scratches, or won’t stay fresh long enough to be shipped to stores across the ­country. There, the ­produce is left to rot. And the worst part? The dumped ­vegetables are just the tip of the food waste iceberg.

The United States throws away 40 percent of its food supply each year—about 160 billion pounds, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Worldwide, roughly one third of all the food produced goes uneaten. 

In addition to farms trashing ­edible vegetables, grocery stores and other retailers regularly throw away older goods to make room for new ones, restaurants serve huge ­portions and toss their ­buffet ­contents every night, and many ­people dump meals they don’t ­finish. Yet at the same time, about one in six ­Americans lacks ­reliable access to affordable, nutritious food. 

Reducing food waste and ending hunger go hand in hand, experts say. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), we could feed 25 million Americans a year by trimming food waste by just 15 percent. 

Last fall, the USDA announced an ambitious goal: to cut the country’s food waste in half by 2030. The ­historic pledge marks the first time the government has ever set a national ­target for reducing the amount of food we trash. If the USDA ­succeeds in reaching its goal, the results could have a huge impact on hunger—and the environment.  

“The United States enjoys the most productive and abundant food ­supply on Earth, but too much of this food goes to waste,” says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Our new reduction goal demonstrates America’s leadership on a global level in getting wholesome food to people who need it, protecting our natural resources, cutting environmental pollution, and promoting innovative approaches for ­reducing food loss and waste.”

Bunches of fresh broccoli, spinach, and kale sit in a 15-foot-tall stack, ripe for the picking. The greens look good enough to eat. But there is not a single shopper in sight—and for good reason. The veg­etables are piled in a landfill in California’s Salinas Valley.

The area produces about 70 percent of U.S. salad greens, but not all of them reach consumers. Local ­growers regularly dump truckloads of vegetables into the landfill because they are misshapen, have minor bruises or scratches, or will not stay fresh long enough to be shipped to stores across the country. In the landfill, the produce is left to rot. And the worst part? The dumped vegetables are just the tip of the food waste iceberg.

The United States throws away 40 percent of its food sup­ply each year. That is about 160 billion pounds, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Worldwide, about one third of all the food that is produced goes uneaten.

In addition to farms trashing edible vegetables, grocery stores and other food sellers regularly throw away old goods to make room for new ones, restaurants serve huge portions and toss their buffet contents every night, and many people dump the remains of meals they don’t finish. Yet at the same time, about one in six Americans lack reliable access to affordable, nutritious food.

Experts say that reducing food waste and ending hunger go hand in hand. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), we could feed 25 million Americans a year by trimming food waste by just 15 percent.

Last fall, the USDA announced an ambi­tious goal: to cut the country’s food waste in half by 2030. The historic pledge marks the first time the government has ever set a national target for reducing the amount of food we throw away. If the USDA succeeds in reaching its goal, the results could have a huge impact on hunger—and the environment.

“The United States enjoys the most productive and abun­dant food supply on Earth, but too much of this food goes to waste,” says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Our new reduction goal demonstrates America’s leadership on a global level in getting wholesome food to people who need it, protecting our natural resources, cutting environmental pollution, and promoting innovative approaches for reducing food loss and waste.”

Cutting down on food waste across the country is a challenge because losses happen at every stage of the ­supply chain, experts say. The problem starts on farms with excess crops. It extends to supersized restaurant portions, grocery stores’ quick turnover, and Ameri­cans’ tendency to overbuy. 

One of the biggest culprits is consumers, says Jonathan Bloom, a food waste ­activist. He’s the author of American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It). According to the NRDC, ­Americans toss one quarter of the food they buy—an ­estimated 20 pounds of edible food per person every month. That’s twice as much as what the average American ­discarded in the 1970s.  

Consumers waste more today because they buy more, Bloom says. Food is plentiful and relatively cheap, so Americans typically purchase too much, especially when it comes to fresh produce. People also store food improperly. For example, they ­refrigerate certain fruits and vegetables that last longer at room temperature. Others don’t think twice about tossing unfinished dinners or abandoning restaurant leftovers in the back of the fridge.  

Americans’ other bad food habit? Trashing goods by the “best by” dates. Those dates represent when a product is at its peak taste and texture, not when it stops being edible or safe to eat, Bloom points out. “If you’re treating those dates as the absolute truth on when food will go bad, then you’re going to be ­wasting a lot of food.” 

Cutting down on food waste across the country is a challenge. That is because losses happen at every stage of the supply chain, experts say. The problem starts on farms with excess crops. It extends to supersized restaurant portions, the quick turnover at grocery stores, and Americans’ tendency to overbuy.

One of the biggest culprits is consumers, says Jonathan Bloom, a food waste activist. He is the author of American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It). According to the NRDC, Americans toss one quarter of the food they buy—an estimated 20 pounds of edible food per person every month. That is twice as much as what the average American threw away in the 1970s.

Consumers waste more today because they buy more, Bloom says. Food is plentiful and relatively cheap, so Americans often buy too much. That is especially true when it comes to fresh produce. People also store food improperly. For example, they refrigerate certain fruits and vegetables that would last longer at room temperature. Other people toss out unfinished dinners or leave restaurant leftovers in the back of the fridge.

Americans’ other bad food habit? Trashing goods by the “best by” dates. Those dates represent when a product is at its peak taste and texture, not when it stops being edible or safe to eat, Bloom points out. “If you’re treating those dates as the absolute truth on when food will go bad, then you’re going to be wasting a lot of food,” he says.

Another top contributor to food waste in the U.S. is farms, says Bloom. Agricultural producers regularly leave misshapen vegetables and discolored fruits to rot on the ground. Why? The food industry has strict standards for produce’s shape, size, and color. Harvesting fruits and vegetables that don’t meet those standards can be financially draining for farmers. Pickers skip over other crops if they suspect the produce will no longer be at peak freshness by the time it reaches stores.

Sometimes, commercial growers leave entire orchards and fields unpicked because of supply and demand. If there’s a ­surplus of a vegetable, the price drops. If the price falls too low, harvesting the crop may actually cost more than ­farmers can make selling it. On the flip side, some farmers intentionally sell less produce than they grow to increase demand for a product. That can push prices up—even though it wastes a lot of edible food in the process.    

Some growers plant extra crops to make sure they fulfill their contracts with retailers. The over­planting can result in thousands of pounds of excess produce that never make it to stores or restaurants. “We’re still operating on this mind-set of maximum production,” Bloom says, “despite year after year of not using about 40 percent of our food supply.”

Another top contributor to food waste in the U.S. is farms, says Bloom. Agricultural producers regularly leave misshapen vegetables and discolored fruits to rot on the ground. Why? The food industry has strict standards for the shape, size, and color of produce. Harvesting fruits and vegetables that don’t meet those standards can be expensive for farmers. Pickers skip over other crops if they think the produce will no longer be at peak freshness by the time it reaches stores.

Sometimes, commercial growers leave entire orchards and fields unpicked because of supply and demand. If there are more vegetables than needed, the price drops. If the price falls too low, harvesting the crop may cost farmers more than they could make by selling it. On the flip side, some farmers intentionally sell less produce than they grow. That increases demand for the product, pushing prices up, even though it wastes a lot of edible food in the process.

Some growers plant extra crops to make sure they can fulfill their contracts with sellers. The overplanting can result in thousands of pounds of excess produce that never make it to stores or restaurants. “We’re still operating on this mind-set of maximum production,” Bloom says, “despite year after year of not using about 40 percent of our food supply.”

Wasting food also wastes a tremendous amount of resources. About 25 percent of all U.S. fresh water usage and 4 percent of all U.S. energy consumption go into ­growing and transporting food that’s never eaten, says Meghan Stasz, the ­director of sustainability for the ­Grocery Manufacturers Association. “When we throw away food, we’re wasting all the natural resources that go into making that food. That includes the water to make it, the diesel to drive it around, and the energy to produce it, pack it, and get it to the grocery store,” says Stasz. She leads the Food Waste Reduction Alliance initiative, a joint effort among the food service, retail, and manufacturing industries to cut down on food waste.

Wasting food also wastes a huge amount of resources. About 25 percent of all U.S. fresh water usage and 4 percent of all U.S. energy consumption go into growing and transporting food that is never eaten, says Meghan Stasz, the director of sustainability for the Grocery Manufacturers Association. “When we throw away food, we’re wasting all the natural resources that go into making that food. That includes the water to make it, the diesel to drive it around, and the energy to produce it, pack it, and get it to the grocery store,” says Stasz. She leads the Food Waste Reduction Alliance initiative. That is a joint effort among the food service, retail, and manufacturing industries to cut down on food waste.

Tossing food also contributes to global warming at an alarming rate. Food rotting in landfills around the globe releases 3.3 billion metric tons of methane and other greenhouse gases in a year. That makes tossed food the third-largest generator of greenhouse gases worldwide, behind only China and the U.S. 

Misusing food comes with a significant financial cost as well. In the U.S., the average family of four throws away about $1,500 worth of edible food every year, according to the USDA. Reducing the amount of goods we toss could save Americans billions of dollars annually. 

Tossing food also contributes to global warming at an alarming rate. Food rot­ting in landfills around the globe releases 3.3 billion metric tons of methane and other greenhouse gases in a year. That makes tossed food the third-largest gen­erator of greenhouse gases worldwide, behind only China and the U.S.

Misusing food comes with a big financial cost as well. In the U.S., the average family of four throws away about $1,500 worth of edible food every year, according to the USDA. Reducing the amount of goods we toss could save Americans billions of dollars a year.

To meet the goal of cutting food waste in half in the next 14 years, the USDA has partnered with the ­Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as state governments, charitable groups, and private companies. Some local officials have already started coordinating large-scale ­composting efforts. Composted food releases less greenhouse gases than food in landfills. The USDA has also created a free app called FoodKeeper that teaches consumers about food date labels and how to store goods properly.  

Educating people is key, says Stasz, especially because so many Americans are unaware of how severe the problem really is. “Understanding the scale at which food waste happens is really hard to do,” she notes. “You know you waste a little bit of food, but if you don’t work in the food industry, it’s really hard to wrap your head around the extent of what’s happening.” 

To meet the goal of cutting food waste in half in the next 14 years, the USDA has partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as state governments, charitable groups, and private companies. Some local officials have already started organizing large-scale composting efforts. Composted food releases less greenhouse gases than food in landfills. The USDA has also created a free app called FoodKeeper that teaches consumers about food date labels and how to store goods properly.

Educating people is key, says Stasz, especially because so many Americans are unaware of how severe the problem really is. “Understanding the scale at which food waste happens is really hard to do,” she notes. “You know you waste a little bit of food, but if you don’t work in the food industry, it’s really hard to wrap your head around the extent of what’s happening.”

Officials are encouraging Americans to plan meals ahead of time so they buy only what they need. They’re also providing tips on how to put leftover ingredients to use in new dishes. At the same time, a California company called Imperfect Produce is trying to change perceptions of “ugly” or oddly shaped fruits and vegetables, so appearance standards can be eased. Other groups are encouraging consumers to trust their sense of smell, taste, and sight over “best by” dates. (Except for baby formula, the federal government doesn’t require food to have expiration dates.)

Officials are encouraging Americans to plan meals ahead of time so they can buy only what they need. They are also providing tips on how to use leftover ingredients in new dishes. At the same time, a California company called Imperfect Produce is trying to change ideas of “ugly” or oddly shaped fruits and vegetables. That would allow appearance standards to be eased. Other groups are encouraging consumers to trust their sense of smell, taste, and sight over “best by” dates. (Except for baby formula, the federal government does not require food to have expiration dates.)

Farmers are getting on board too, looking for additional ways to use imperfect crops. Some employ ­concurrent picking, in which the best produce goes in one basket for grocery stores and the rest goes in another ­basket for food banks. Other ­farmers allow nonprofit groups to harvest crops that would otherwise be left in fields. Growers are also working with juice companies to develop more products for less-than-perfect fruit. 

When it comes to stores, the U.S. government and nonprofit groups are partnering with retailers to find a­ffordable ways to deliver extra goods to food banks. Some grocery stores are ­selling or donating food to feed livestock. The U.N. Environment Programme estimates that giving farm animals the food that humans waste could free up enough grains to feed at least 3 billion people every year.

The U.S. could also look to other countries for inspiration on innovative ways to reduce food waste. In 2012, for instance, South Korea began charging by weight for garbage removal to discourage people from tossing food. France recently passed a law requiring big grocery chains to donate all unsold food to charities. And China has launched a social media campaign encouraging ­diners to finish their ­restaurant meals. 

The changes can add up quickly, whether they’re done by one person or an entire country, Bloom notes. 

“I wholeheartedly believe in the contagiousness of action,” he says. “If you start doing things a tiny bit ­differently, your friends and family will take notice. It promotes conversations and provides opportunity to open [people’s] eyes to the problem of wasted food. There can be a real domino effect.”

Farmers are taking part too, looking for more ways to use imperfect crops. Some use a picking system in which the best produce goes in one basket for grocery stores and the rest goes in another basket for food banks. Other farmers allow nonprofit groups to harvest crops that would otherwise be left in fields. Growers are also working with juice companies to develop more products made with less-than-perfect fruit.

When it comes to stores, the U.S. government and nonprofit groups are partnering with sellers to find affordable ways to deliver extra goods to food banks. Some grocery stores are selling or donating food to feed livestock. The U.N. Environment Program estimates that giving farm animals the food that humans waste could free up enough grains to feed at least 3 billion people every year.

The U.S. could also look to other countries for inspiration on new ways to reduce food waste. In 2012, for instance, South Korea began charging by weight for garbage removal. The goal was to discourage people from tossing food. France recently passed a law requiring big grocery chains to donate all unsold food to charities. China has launched a social media campaign encouraging people to finish their restaurant meals.

The changes can add up quickly, whether they are done by one person or an entire country, Bloom notes.

“I wholeheartedly believe in the contagiousness of action,” he says. “If you start doing things a tiny bit differently, your friends and family will take notice. It promotes conversations and provides opportunity to open [people’s] eyes to the problem of wasted food. There can be a real domino effect.”