USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and EPA Deputy Administrator Stan Meiburg announced the first-ever national food waste goal this month, calling for a 50 percent reduction in waste by 2030. Building on the Obama administration’s commitment to addressing climate change, the announcement occurred just one week before world leaders gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to address sustainable development practices, including sustainable production and consumption.
“The United States enjoys the most productive and abundant food supply on Earth, but too much of this food goes to waste,” Vilsack says. “An average family of four leaves more than 2 million calories, worth nearly $1,500, uneaten each year. Our new reduction goal demonstrates America’s leadership on a global level in 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.”