2013 Executive Summary

Transcription

1 A C O Thought Leadership Event on Lost and Tossed Food 2013 Executive Summary 1

2 From the United Nations to dinner tables across the United States, people are talking about food waste. It s an important topic for all of us. The UN s Food and Agriculture Organization recently reported that one-third of the food produced globally is wasted or lost. In the U.S., the number is even higher at 40 percent. We are pleased to share highlights of the discussions. Join the conversation at 2

3 Charleston Orwig brought together diverse interests across the food chain for a dialogue on this critical issue at Stick A Fork In It: A C O Thought Leadership Event on Lost and Tossed Food, its fourth annual event. Guests ranging from local and organic foods advocates to corporate proponents of genetically modified crops gathered in Milwaukee to see the results of a C O-commissioned food waste survey, conducted by Datassential, and hear an overview of the issue from author Jonathan Bloom, whose 2012 book American Wasteland looks at food waste from farm to fork. 3 participants roll up their sleeves during smallgroup discussions to brainstorm ideas to help end food waste

4 The amount of food americans waste daily would fill the Rose Bowl. Stadium-sized waste Imagine mounds of garbage filling the Rose Bowl. That s the amount of food Americans waste daily. This equals 40 percent of the food produced across the food chain, or 160 billion pounds a year. The financial cost is staggering: $240 billion. And the human cost is even higher: 40 percent of all calories available for nutrition are wasted, a sobering statistic given the 15 percent of Americans living with food insecurity. CO Chief Executive Officer Mark Gale in his welcome Whether your views skew local and organic or global and bio-tech, we can all agree on the crying need to reduce food waste.

5 80% of american consumers surveyed recognize food waste is an issue. Awareness vs. understanding The percentage in the stat above was discovered in a C O-commissioned survey conducted by Datassential in August 2013.* More likely to agree were GenX and Baby Boomers, many of whom were exposed to their parents Depression-era concerns about waste. Of the respondents, 74 percent expressed concern about food waste. Datassential s Maeve Webster explained that food waste is a personal issue that affects purchasing decisions and which companies they support with their dollars. These attitudes present a challenge for the food industry, which consumers perceive as causing the problem. Roughly one-third of consumers (32 percent) believe that waste is a food industry problem, not a household problem, due to the size and scale of the industry. * Proprietary research conducted August This was a consumer survey with more than 2,500 respondents. 5

6 This is a challenge for the food industry if it constantly takes the blame without consumers playing a role (in addressing the issue), Webster said. The dichotomy is always an issue with consumers. They say they want to eat healthy, but love fried foods. Consumers have a split personality on a lot of issues. Restaurants are on the front line of food waste because that is where consumers spend money, where they see large portions and uneaten food at the end of their meal. Yet Bloom s research found that the food industry and consumers are to blame for America s rank of No. 1 in food waste, just ahead of Canada, Australia and Great Britain. While it s difficult to estimate how much food is lost at farm level, it is not uncommon for producers to pass over food at harvest because it isn t the right size, shape and color to meet consumer demand or prices don t support labor or fuel costs. Despite what they say, consumers won t buy imperfect foods, according to retailers. 6

7 america ranks #1 in food waste. More waste Moreover, automation and speed in food processing lead to waste because there is no incentive to halt production if a crop is being mis-cut. And consumer demand has created a long-distance food chain from production to table with increased chances of waste and damage in transit. When food reaches the supermarket, it may languish in refrigerator or freezer cases until its sell-by date approaches. At that point, many grocers will throw away food rather than donating to a food bank because they are concerned about liability issues. The issue is highlighted in a 2011 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) table showing the progression of waste across the food chain. According to the FAO, 52 percent of fruits and vegetables produced in North America (defined as the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia) were wasted. This occurred in the following stages: 20% Production 3% Postharvest handling & storage 1% Processing/ packaging 12% Distribution 28% Consumer 7

8 american consumers WASTE 25% of THEIR food. Abundance leads to waste At home, American consumers waste about 25 percent of their food by throwing it out or down the disposal. Americans are more likely to take food for granted because there is so much of it at a reasonable price, Bloom said: The U.S. produces twice the amount of calories we need, per person Food is available everywhere: supermarkets, gas stations, drug stores, etc. Food accounts for less than 10 percent of the average budget so we think that we can always buy more. In America, food costs are near an all-time low, largely because of subsidies, he said, adding, If we paid the true cost of food, we might appreciate it more. Abundant, low-cost food has led consumers to expect massive portions when eating at restaurants and at home. They are put in a precarious position where they overeat or waste food, he said. 8

9 40 trillion liters of h 2 0 ONE TRILLION LITERS = Great Salt Lake Environmental, economic impacts Wasted food accounts for 4 percent of U.S. energy consumption or about 70 times the amount of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the U.S. Gulf. In terms of water, 25 percent of the water used in the U.S. produces wasted food, while 40 trillion liters equivalent to the Great Salt Lake is embedded in the food we toss every year. Food waste is the No. 1 component in the waste stream ending up in landfills and accounts for 15 percent of methane emissions as it decomposes or is incinerated, a concern because methane emits 21 times more heat than CO 2, he said. The annual economic cost of wasted food is high: $44 billion in food processing and $2,200 at home for an average family of four. MOST PREFERRED LEAST PREFERRED Source Reduction Feed Hungry People Food Recovery Hierarchy Feed Animals Industrial Uses (Anaerobic digesting for fuel) Composting Incineration or Landfill 97 percent of food waste currently ends up in this bottom category.

10 New solutions Bloom outlined actions the food industry, consumers and the government can take to curb or prevent food waste including: Agriculture Plant smarter, not fencerow to fencerow Harvest all that is grown Use resources wisely Focus on efficiency to ease deforestation Manufacturing Assess operations (Do a dumpster dive to assess waste) Empower employees to stop waste, donate excess food Set a zero-waste goal Legislative Streamline deductions for food donations Fund gleaning (food recovery) efforts Support composting in terms of economics/ infrastructure Additionally, Bloom advocates removing date labels from shelf-stable items so consumers do not mistakenly believe that food is no longer safe to eat. A Harvard Law School/National Resources Defense Council study released September 19th found that manufacturer-imposed sell by or use by dates on packaged foods are inconsistent and serve to confuse consumers who are likely to throw away food simply because of arbitrary dates. He also suggests a public awareness campaign about food waste, comparable to the 70 s Give a Hoot, Don t Pollute campaign. At home and in restaurants, consumers can insist on reasonable portion sizes. They also can cook with their children to teach the value of food, shop at farmers markets and begin to compost. 10

11 Enough for everyone With a rapidly growing population, diminishing resources and an estimated 870 million people going hungry every day, we must consider ways to stop food waste. It s not solely a humanitarian issue. The inefficiencies that contribute to food waste represent significant economic and sustainability issues as well. In order to address the needs of a global population topping 9 billion by mid-century, professionals across the food chain must play a leading role in eliminating food waste. We can work together with consumers and legislators and activists toward the goal of eliminating waste and assuring that the hungry receive the food they need. C O is pleased to bring together disparate views and interests to facilitate discussion on the important issue of food waste. We leave you with a reminder: THERE S ENOUGH for everyone. 11

12 mark gale, lyle orwig and marcy tessmann CharlestonlOrwig is a strategic communications consultant serving leading and emerging brands. We focus primarily on the food system from agriculture through processing and distribution to the point of retail. Our business is divided into two complementary disciplines: Reputation Management Building, strengthening and protecting an organization s image (managing issues and crisis as necessary). Integrated Marketing Creating demand, building brands and developing long-term value. 515 W. NORTH SHORE DRIVE, HARTLAND, WI p: Charleston Orwig, Inc.