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ARLINGTON, Va. – The Food Industry Association (FMI) reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to reducing food waste as a founding member of the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA). FWRA renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce food loss and waste through industry and agency-specific actions.
FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin stated, “Minimizing food waste is a significant priority for shoppers, with 55% saying they buy only what they need to reduce waste. As consumers seek to maximize the value of their grocery dollars and align their purchasing habits with their principles around sustainability and nutrition, we in the food industry must also do our part to cut down on the amount of food going to landfill. As a founding member of FWRA and a signatory to this renewed MOU, FMI is proud to recommit to working with USDA, EPA and FDA to identify ways to further reduce food waste throughout the supply chain by supporting policies and programs that encourage environmental, societal and business innovation.”
As vital links in the consumer food supply chain, FMI members are dedicated to reducing the amount of food waste generated; increasing the amount of safe, nutritious food donated to those in need; and diverting unavoidable food waste from landfills. The MOU is intended to further coordination between the public and private sectors to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030 and build upon strategic priority areas aimed at:
- Educating and engaging the food manufacturing, retail, restaurant and food service industries to reduce food waste, including strategies to prevent, recover and recycle excess food;
- Informing stakeholders of the food waste reduction recognition programs currently available at each respective agency;
- Sharing best practices on successful, creative and innovative solutions to reduce wasted food across industry sectors;
- Increasing industry awareness of the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act to encourage safe and effective food donation and recovery; and
- Collaborating to better understand infrastructure gaps and other constraints to food donation, scrap recycling, adoption of innovative technology and behaviors in commercial settings to identify potential areas for improvement.
