Food waste is an immense concern worldwide as it causes environmental consequences, economic burdens, and food insecurity. According to recent studies from the UN Food Waste Index, up to 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted each year. These large amounts of food end up in landfills and produce greenhouse gasses, accounting for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Further, food waste costs the global economy hundreds of billions of dollars a year.
Excess food waste also worsens the issue of hunger, as over 800 million people worldwide are undernourished. As found by the USDA, about 17.9% of the American population alone does not have access to the food they require. Such significant populations shouldn’t be facing hunger as a result of ignorant food waste, meaning it is necessary for there to be initiatives to decrease these statistics.
Until approximately a decade ago, there was no legal area of expertise that addressed how our food system affected or addressed these alarming matters, as well as a myriad of other important subjects like public health, economics, social justice, and the environment. Over the past ten years, the new field of food law and policy has become increasingly prominent and has grown to include a broad study of laws pertaining to our food system that are implemented at all levels of government. It is important for governments to put these laws in place for the purpose of minimizing the effects of food waste and hunger vulnerability.
The importance of food law in addressing these issues has led to the establishment of legislation at both federal and local levels. Much legislation relating to food law aims to reduce waste using strategies of reduction, recovery, and recycling. Food recovery, usually seen through donation, is the most effective method because it concerns both topics of food waste and insecurity. Restaurants and other food-producing establishments, like grocery stores, account for 40% of food waste. For this reason, it is valuable when they donate their excess products instead of throwing them out. The most effective way to push for this to happen is for governments to provide legislation that makes it safe and beneficial for establishments to donate.
Studies show that lack of policy and logistical support is the main reason food is thrown away instead of donated, which further reiterates how crucial it is for governments to use the field of food law to foster donation. At a federal level, the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996, more commonly known as the Emerson Act, protects individuals and establishments from liability for any harm that may occur from donating. For instance, if sickness or other damages result from a donation of food, the business that donated the food cannot be held accountable. This act applies nationally, but states can build upon it. Since local governments can best relate to local situations, it is highly important for them to create their own legislation that promotes the reduction of food waste. For example, Vermont introduced the “Universal Recycling Law” which banned restaurants from sending food scraps to landfills. This led to a 37% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions throughout the state. Virginia incentivized farmers to donate by giving them tax credits of 30% on food crops donated to nonprofit organizations that redistribute the food to those in need. Every area has varying circumstances and may be favored by slightly different approaches, but it is essential for a greater number of local governments to play a part in lessening food waste and encouraging donations.
Although there are other methods of reducing food waste, more research from the EPA shows that donation is the best use for surplus food. Other strategies that can be practiced include source reduction (producing and buying less), composting, feeding excess food to animals, and using food to make industrial bioproducts like biofuel. Massachusetts is currently one of multiple states with pending legislation to establish funding for private composting and organic collection programs. These strategies are effective in decreasing food waste. However, their drawback is that they do not provide food to those who are facing hunger. Donating is the foremost solution because it combats food shortages, and organizations that focus on the donation of leftover food have a great impact. Feeding America, a nonprofit organization that collects surplus food from grocery stores, recovered 4.7 billion pounds of food in just one year. They turned this food into 1.4 million meals which would have otherwise been thrown away.
As the realm of food law and policy continues to expand, an increasing amount of organizations with similar missions are making a difference. Smaller organizations can also be productive in taking action within communities, which is important at any level. With such initiatives, restaurants, grocery stores, and any other food-producing establishments have the resources to support the environment and the populations within their communities. In order for this to happen in a widespread manner, governments need to fulfill their part in promoting these intentions.
Dìdi Just Became My Favorite Teen Movie – A Night With Sean Wang
