Food Waste

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is hosting its “First International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste” on September 29, 2020. As USDA’s Food Loss and Waste Liaison, I want to highlight some of FAO’s awareness-raising messages.

Food donations to help those in need have been an important part of America’s safety net during the challenges posed by COVID-19. Did you know that the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 (PDF, 207 KB) ( 42 U.S. Code § 1791) provides limited liability protection for people who make...

If businesses have an excess inventory of wholesome food, they can donate it to hunger relief organizations, such as food banks, food pantries, and community-based organizations, to help families in need. These donations are particularly important in challenging economic times. Donating food can...

Each of us has the power to reduce food waste in our homes. As the USDA Food Loss and Waste Liaison, I would like to share with you three of my favorite ways to keep food waste at home to a minimum.

In honor of Women's History Month, we are sharing stories on four ARS researchers whose career work has impacted the lives of all Americans.

Hard to believe 2019 is almost over. With New Year's Eve fast approaching, it's that time of year when many of us take a moment to reflect on all the things we accomplished during the year.

What’s the psychology behind food waste and what can we do to change our behavior? This interview features insights from Brian Roe, Professor and Faculty Lead at The Ohio State University’s Food Waste Collaborative and Laura Moreno, who received her Ph.D. studying food waste at the University of...

Sometimes food scraps can turn into gold. Tara McHugh, of USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), has overseen this alchemy as director of ARS’s Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California. Over the course of her career, McHugh has investigated ways to take food-processing waste and...

What should you have done with all of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey? Should you have frozen it, given it away, or composted it? Maybe these aren’t even the right questions. Should you have bought a smaller bird? What would you have done if you were in the country of Turkey? Or if you were in...

Today is National Ag Day, a day to recognize the role of American agriculture in our daily lives and the efforts of those who shape the American food system. The average American farmer feeds approximately 144 people worldwide, and with agriculture being our number one export, agriculture is...