U.S. Food Loss & Waste Policy Action Plan

The Zero Food Waste coalition strongly believes that building a regenerative and resilient food system will take public and private leadership in both the national and international communities. Because of this, one of the Coalition’s first actions was to call on the Biden administration and Congress to take ambitious action to achieve national and international goals to reduce food loss and waste 50% by 2030 through the following five key actions:

1. Invest in Prevention and Keep Waste out of Landfills

   Food is the single largest input by weight into US landfills and incinerators, where it causes social and environmental harm. Investing in infrastructure and programs that measure and prevent waste, incentivize rescue of surplus and safe excess food, and keep it out of landfills will help achieve climate gains, improve our country's soils, boost profits for farmers, and feed more people.

   • Offer Funding for States and Cities that Incentivizes Organic Waste Measurement, Rescue, Recycling, and Prevention (Congress, Administration)

   • Require the Development of Food Waste Measurement Planning and Transparency (Congress, EPA)

   • Build Demand for Compost (USDA, Congress)

   • Fund Development of Public-Private Partnerships (Congress)

   • Eliminate Barriers to Feeding Food Scraps to Animals (USDA, FDA)

   Read more detail

2. Enable Surplus Food Donation

   Less than 10% of excess food is donated rather than wasted. Through policy revisions, creating alternative markets, and strengthening regional supply chains, we can make it easier for farmers, retailers, and all foodservice organizations to donate excess food to help feed those in need in our communities.

   • Expand the Federal Enhanced Tax Deduction for Food Donation to Include Non-Profit Sales and Transport (Congress)

   • Enable Greater Food Donation by Farmers (Congress)

   • Strengthen Liability Protections for Food Donation (Congress)

   • Clarify Guidance on Food Safety for Donations (FDA, Congress)

   • Continue to Create Alternative Market Channels for Producers and Consumers (USDA, Congress)

   • Establish New Positions for Regional Supply Chain Coordinators (USDA, Congress)

   Read more detail

3. Show US Leadership at Home and Abroad

   The US has one of the world’s highest levels of food waste per person. It is vital for the nation’s food security, climate, economic, and recovery objectives that we set a leading example on how to drive solutions.

   • Embed FLW Reduction in US Nationally Determined Contribution (Administration)

   • Require Federal Facilities to Measure, Rescue, Recycle, and Prevent Organic Waste, and to Purchase Finished Compost Products (Administration, Congress)

   • Fund and Incentivize FLW Innovation (Congress)

   • Boost Funding for the Federal Interagency Effort to Reduce Food Waste (Congress)

   Read more detail

4. Educate and Activate Consumers

   37% of food waste happens at the US household level. We must educate and empower Americans to change their behaviors everywhere that they eat, in coordination with efforts in consumer-facing businesses to drive better food management.

   • Fund Research and Awareness Campaigns to Reduce Consumer Food Waste (Congress, USDA, EPA, FDA)

   • Pass the School Food Recovery Act (Congress, USDA)

   Read more detail

5. Standardize National Date Labeling

   Date label confusion is one of the leading causes of consumer and consumer-facing business food waste. We need consistent labels, standardized at the federal level, and streamlined public education on how to use and interpret.

   • Pass the Food Date Labeling Act (Congress)

   Read more detail

Founding Members