Food industry titan joins movement to address major problem with food supply: 'We look forward to their collaboration'

FMI, a food industry association, has become the first trade association to sign on to a national pact aimed at preventing and reducing food waste in the United States.

According to Quality Assurance Magazine, FMI is joining 20 other companies that have already signed the U.S. Food Waste Pact, which includes Walmart, Whole Foods, and Starbucks. 

Food waste in the U.S. is an enormous issue, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimating that 30%-40% of the food supply is tossed out or wasted. "Wholesome food that could have helped feed families in need is sent to landfills," an article by the USDA states.

Not only does this create a massive amount of literal waste, but food waste can lead to methane production — a type of heat-trapping pollution that contributes to rising global temperatures.

This pact aims to address these problems at their source and is co-led by the nonprofits ReFED and World Wildlife Fund. 

The U.S. Food Waste Pact aims to enhance reporting on food waste and encourage communication across the value chain to reduce waste. While moves by these large nonprofits are awesome, you can also take steps to prevent food waste right at home. 

By educating yourself on how to keep your food fresh longer or how to use your leftovers rather than throwing them away, you won't just be saving tons of money on groceries — you'll be helping the planet.

The collaboration with FMI comes as no surprise, as the association has a long history of supporting efforts to end food waste, including developing its own app to help educate the public about food storage and safety.

"FMI has been such an important leader on a number of key issues," said Jackie Suggitt, vice president of business initiatives and community engagement at ReFED, per Quality Assurance Magazine.

"... We look forward to their collaboration with other pact signatories as they share their unique industry-wide expertise and best practices."

What single change would make the biggest dent in your personal food waste? Not buying food I don't need 🧐 Freezing my food before it goes bad 🧊 Using my leftovers more effectively 🍲 Composting my food scraps 🌱 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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