From staff reports The U.S. Department of Agriculture last week announced, in conjunction with the U.S. Agency for International Development, the signing of a formal agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration to renew their Federal Interagency Collaboration to Reduce Food Loss andWaste.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture TomVilsack, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf and USAID Administrator Samantha Power signed the formal agreement renewing and enhancing the collaborative effort.
Vilsack emphasized the importance of reducing food waste from farm to table.
FIFLAW was formed in October 2018 and renewed in December 2020.The collaboration has published the draft entitled National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss andWaste and Recycling Organics and forged a formal agreement with the national nonprofit ReFED with respect to eliminating food waste.
Collaborating agencies will strengthen coordination to produce educational and guidance materials, conduct outreach, community investments, voluntary programs, technical assistance, policy discussion and public-private partnerships. The addition of USAID allows the federal government to reach international stakeholders while better leveraging government resources.
The USDA is investing $4 million in two projects: a $1.5 million Center for Research, Behavioral Economics and Extension on Food Loss andWaste led by Purdue University, and a $2.5 million Pilot Consumer Education Campaign on Food Loss andWaste led by Ohio State University. The center will develop a National Extension Food Loss andWaste strategy while addressing inefficiencies in the food system, focusing on underserved audiences. OSU will run its campaign to reduce food waste and create educational programs for further waste reduction efforts.
The USDA is leveraging $57 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to reduce food waste. Initiatives include composting, community food projects, educational programs, and innovation fairs. Collaborating with the EPA, they’ve expanded the U.S. Food Loss and waste 2030 Champions, aiming to cut food waste by half by 2030.