U.S. $165 Billion Dollar Food Waste Dilemma

Food Waste Causing Harm to Nation`s Water Supply

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

The numbers are shocking - 40 per cent of the food in the U.S, or approximately $165 billion dollars’ worth of food waste is generated every year. This is alarming to advocacy groups like Natural Resources Defense Council who released the report earlier this week. The Council says that the food waste is damaging the nation`s water supply.

"Food is simply too good to waste," the report says. "Given all the resources demanded for food production, it is critical to make sure that the least amount possible is needlessly squandered on its journey to our plates."

While there is evidence of waste from all different segments in the food chain, the majority of the waste is coming from the home. The majority of that waste can be accounted for through bulk purchases, resulting in buying more feed than they can eat. Looking to restaurant waste, businesses stock more food than they can serve and their portion sizes are often too large for people to finish - all resulting in food waste. 

The waste can even sometimes stem right down to the primary producer level, the report suggests that upwards of 7 per cent of planted fields are not harvested each year. Often farmers can`t get a high enough price for their crop to justify the input costs of taking off the harvest.

The Natural Resources Defense Council is an environmental activist group that seeks to address global warming and protect the environment through raising awareness of environmental destruction.