CDFA joins the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in recognizing today, September 29, as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.
FAO is calling for the expansion and strengthening of stakeholder efforts to reduce food loss and waste as a critical element of securing a sustainable food future across the globe, where an estimated 13 percent of food is lost after harvest prior to reaching retail shelves; an estimated 19 percent of food is wasted in households, food service and retail; and approximately 29 percent of the global population – 2.3 billion people – are moderately or severely food insecure.
Ways to reduce food loss and waste include consuming smaller portions, buying “ugly” fruits and vegetables, setting your refrigerator to the correct temperature, and making “not wasting” a way of life!
Reducing food loss and waste helps protect natural resources and biodiversity, helps reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and maximizes the use of food produce. Visit the FAO International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste webpage for more information and resources.
CDFA’s commitment to helping Californians reduce food loss and waste includes the CDFA Commercial Feed Regulatory Program, which promotes human food byproduct diversion to create animal feed; the CDFA Rendering Program, which promotes the process of breaking down animal byproducts for industrial uses; the CDFA Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability, which promotes composting; and the CDFA Office of Farm to Fork, which is committed to increasing food access.