The United States produces 119 billion pounds of domestic food waste every year, yet in 2022 12.8 percent of our population struggled with food insecurity(“Key Statistics & Graphics”).  While 12.8 might not seem like a very high amount when translated to the American population, approximately 17 million people are left hungry(“Key Statistics & Graphics”).  Statistics like this could lead one to question how this could have happened. The answer mostly lies in an inefficient system.  Factors such as inflation, consumer preference, over consumption, and simple corporate greed lead to such a towering amount of waste.  

Food waste begins on the farm before anything. Everyday produce is discarded before it can even make it to market. Issues disqualifying the produce can start as early as picking. We are surprisingly picky about the food we put on our grocery shelves so any issues in drying, milling, or storing can deem food that would otherwise be safe to eat unusable. However not all food waste at this stage is purely cosmetic. Some concerns may arise due to improper storage practices that can genuinely pose safety risks. These can include things such as bacteria spread, mold, insects, or rodents(“Food Waste FAQs”). While these health risks may justify disposal, it is mistakes like these that cause the global waste of around 1.3 billion tons of food before it ever reaches stores(“Food Waste FAQs”). Almost a third of the total production is wasted in this preparation process. 

Yet our produce pickiness doesn’t stop once it hits the shelves. A brown mark on a banana or a knot on a potato can be reason enough for us to skip over that time and again. These perceived imperfections cause food to go bad on the shelves. However not all blemished products are left to rot. While the average household consumer might turn up their nose, restaurant and food vendors care far less about physical imperfections, ordering the appealing batches from wholesale for a cheaper rate. When it's chopped and sauteed a slight mark is unimportant. 

This contribution however, is minor. The commercial food industry makes up 61 percent of food waste in the market (“Feeding America: U.S. Hunger Relief Organization”). This includes restaurants, catering services, and grocery stores. Dumping 66 billion pounds of food a year(“Feeding America: U.S. Hunger Relief Organization”). Despite this, media outlets prefer to push the narrative onto the average household. They stress things such as composting and careful purchasing as to not have food spoil. While composting and mindful consumption aren’t bad ideas, it places the blame of mass food waste on the average person despite the fact that domestic household waste only accounts for 31 percent of all waste(“Feeding America: U.S. Hunger Relief Organization”).   

With well over a billion pounds wasted in the United States yearly the question is raised of how do we deal with it. In 2019 the EPA compiled a chart noting all the different methods of food waste management used by the food retail, food service, and residential sectors. Of the 66216242 tons of food waste tracked only 5135293 tons were donated making up a measly 7.76 percent of the total amount(“2019 Wasted Food Report”19). Other paths include animal feed at 2.29 percent and 1516771 tons annually, composting at 4.99 percent and 3304764 tons annually, and controlled combustion at 14.57 percent and 9646263 tons annually to name a few other routes(“2019 Wasted Food Report”19). All of these are measly in comparison to the 39621902 tons of food waste that end up in landfills(“2019 Wasted Food Report”19). 59.84 percent of all food waste goes to ever growing landfill piles(“2019 Wasted Food Report”19).

Some might argue that food waste is inevitable. Food doesn’t stay fresh forever and health standards must be upheld for the safety of the public and consumers. Especially in a market structure such as ours with high demand and constant production, waste is bound to happen for the excess product. However many organizations are innovating constantly for new and better ways to reduce food waste. The EPA is a large supporter of donating wholesome food to places such as food banks, food pantries, and other community based  food resource programs. Many of these programs and charities will accept food from both civilian sources and corporate locations such as restaurants. The EPA also offers information about tax benefits that can be gained from donating food to these organizations which helps incentive people further with financial benefits(“Food Donation Basics | US EPA”) . They also include ways to grow food resources and donation efforts in your local communities(“Food Donation Basics | US EPA”). In this way the EPA works to both reduce food waste and improve food insecurity statistics among American households.  

The EPA also provides information and advocates for preventing food waste through source reduction, a vice to the issues mentioned earlier. They provide options for both community food waste reduction and business food waste reduction. Within this the EPA also highlights business success stories where the business managed to reduce their food waste a significant amount by reevaluating their production process and choices in line with the EPAs suggestions(“Prevent Wasted Food Through Source Reduction | US EPA”). This was both beneficial for the companies as they saved money on disposal and labor costs and beneficial for the planet as there was less waste to be redirected. 

Though The United States has a long way to go in reducing food waste and food insecurity, a start has been made. If suggestions such as the ones put forth by the EPA and donation efforts continue to be used and to grow we could see a drastic fall in food waste and more people would have more accessible meals. With contained work both the planet and our people would thrive.                         

Works Cited

Feeding America: U.S. Hunger Relief Organization, feedingamerica.org. Accessed 9 May 2024.

“Food Donation Basics | US EPA.” Environmental Protection Agency, 9 May 2024, epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/food-donation-basics. Accessed 14 May 2024.

“Food Waste FAQs.” USDA, usda.gov/foodwaste/faqs. Accessed 9 May 2024.

“Key Statistics & Graphics.” USDA ERS, 25 October 2023, ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-u-s/key-statistics-graphics/. Accessed 9 May 2024.

“Prevent Wasted Food Through Source Reduction | US EPA.” Environmental Protection Agency, 19 October 2023, epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/prevent-wasted-food-through-source-reduction. Accessed 9 May 2024.

“2019 Wasted Food Report.” Environmental Protection Agency, epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-04/2019-wasted-food-report_508_opt_ec_4.23correction.pdf. Accessed 9 May 2024.