In South Carolina, farm waste rose 41% in just one year, marking an unwanted milestone in the United States that was driven by a surprising factor.
What's happening?
According to The Greenville News, a new LawnStarter study gave South Carolina a score of 46.1 out of 100 in a food waste analysis. It evaluated all 50 U.S. states across 37 indicators related to household and business food waste, recycling, and waste-reduction efforts.
The Palmetto State ranked 46th on commercial and industrial waste, 43rd on household waste, 36th on recycling, and 19th on reduction efforts. Together, those figures pushed South Carolina into the ranking as the ninth most wasteful state when it comes to food waste.
However, agriculture accounted for a large share of the problem. South Carolina recorded the biggest year-over-year jump in farm waste in the country, with waste volume increasing 41% and surplus crop value rising 103.9%.
Storm damage seems to have played a major role. Fields hit during the 2024 hurricane season — including Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene — left crops damaged and unsellable, turning food that could have been eaten into waste.
Why does it matter?
Food waste is about far more than what ends up in a kitchen trash can. When edible food is thrown away, it also means wasted water, land, labor, fuel, and money — while leaving fewer meals for families who need them.
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This is an especially timely problem — a survey by The Guardian found that 95% of Americans agree that there is a growing affordability crisis for basic necessities, such as groceries and gas.
There is also a major impact on planetary health. The Food Waste in America in 2026 guide noted that discarded food accounts for 11% of planet-warming gas pollution worldwide, and the World Wildlife Federation has said that producing food that goes to waste in the U.S. generates emissions comparable to 37 million cars.
South Carolina's food recycling rate dropped 1.15% to 29.03%, and retail food waste increased 4.17%. Residential waste fell 2.59%, the smallest household reduction in the country.
Wasted food can drive up disposal costs, put more strain on landfills, and reflect inefficiencies across farms, grocery stores, and homes. When waste spikes after storms and supply disruptions, it also underscores how vulnerable food systems can be.
What can I do?
One of the most practical first steps is source reduction: Buy only what you are likely to use, plan meals ahead, and freeze or repurpose leftovers before they spoil. Small habit changes can keep food out of the trash while lowering grocery bills at the same time.
When food is still safe to eat but will not be used, donating it can help feed people instead of landfills.
For scraps that truly cannot be eaten, composting is one of the better options where available. Turning peels, coffee grounds, and other organic waste into compost helps return nutrients to the soil instead of creating more landfill pollution, and it can provide useful fuel for gardening.
The Food Waste in America in 2026 guide pointed to other recovery strategies as well, including using safe leftovers as animal feed and converting some waste into energy or industrial products. Landfilling or incineration should be the last resort.
"While the world wastes about 2.5 billion tons of food every year, the United States discards more food than any other country in the world: nearly 60 million tons — 120 billion pounds — every year," the report observed.
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