15 Oct Reflections from the FWRA Stakeholder Convening
Food Marketing Institute Blog: Red Tape, Recalls and Reducing Food Waste
10/15/2015
By: David Fikes, Vice President, Consumer/Community Affairs and Communication, Food Marketing Institute
In the 16th century, when court, ecclesiastical and state affairs were becoming increasingly complex, the preferred method of keeping administrative documents organized was to tie related papers together, using string for ordinary documents and binding important dossiers together with red tape. As you can imagine, the more complex the case was, the bigger the stack of paper became, requiring more red tape. It didn’t take too long for the words “red tape” to become shorthand for bureaucratic practices, redundant paperwork or complex time-consuming approval procedures – anything contributing to the mounting stack of paper, delaying action or postponing a decision.
We all know the frustration of being caught up in “red tape,” and every so often we get to experience the innate human joy that comes when someone “cuts through the red tape” so logical action can be taken in a timely and meaningful way.
Recently the Food Waste Reduction Alliance – lead by Food Marketing Institute, Grocery Manufacturers Association and National Restaurant Association – held a convening of representatives from the food industry, government agencies and non-government groups, all sharing an interest in addressing the issue of food waste. Over the course of the day, participants reported on solutions they were working on, recounted the challenges they continue to find and brainstormed potential actions where collaborative action would help. An idea originating with our friends at Feeding America captured my attention and the fancy of the group gathered, but would involve some significant “red tape cutting.”
Stick with me as I lay out three facts that appear divergent, but serve as necessary background to the proposal.
- According to the FDA Reportable Food Registry Fourth Annual Report (2014) almost half of food recalls involve products that are mislabeled because they contain undeclared allergens. These recalls do not involve a pathogen; they are concerned with the undisclosed presence of an allergen that would affect only those with that particular food allergy. For those without the food allergy sparked by the (undisclosed) content, the product is perfectly safe.
- At the manufacturer level, the preferred method of food waste recovery is conversion to animal feed, while for retailers, composting and food donation are the preferred means of diverting product from going to landfills.
- According to EPA’s food recovery hierarchy using food to feed hungry people is preferred over recovering it to feed animals and both of those are preferred over composting. Incineration or going to landfill is the least desired outcome.
- According to the FDA Reportable Food Registry Fourth Annual Report (2014) almost half of food recalls involve products that are mislabeled because they contain undeclared allergens. These recalls do not involve a pathogen; they are concerned with the undisclosed presence of an allergen that would affect only those with that particular food allergy. For those without the food allergy sparked by the (undisclosed) content, the product is perfectly safe.
- At the manufacturer level, the preferred method of food waste recovery is conversion to animal feed, while for retailers, composting and food donation are the preferred means of diverting product from going to landfills.
- According to EPA’s food recovery hierarchy using food to feed hungry people is preferred over recovering it to feed animals and both of those are preferred over composting. Incineration or going to landfill is the least desired outcome.
It would require some rethinking of retail and manufacture logistics and a good deal of government agency red-tape cutting, but an efficient protocol enabling more products recalled due to allergen mislabeling to be mended – designated as containing the said allergen – and made eligible for donation to food banks, would mean these products could serve the higher purpose of feeding people. This needs to be done safely and economically with a clear procedure put in place to identity products falling into this mislabeled category and an approval process for sufficiently correcting the labelling error, so that it could be donated. Because these recalls sometimes involve thousands of pounds of food, an expedited process could result in a significant decrease in food loss, a huge increase in food bank donations and a tax break for the company making the donation.
Not only would this action avoid another one of those photos that NGOs are so fond of, that show a grocery store dumpster full of perfectly good food headed to the landfill, but it be would another step toward relieving America’s growing population of the food insecure.
For more information, see best practices on food waste reduction or follow @FWRAorg on Twitter.
Grocery Manufacturers Association Blog: A Need to Educate & Collaborate on Food Waste
10/13/2015
By: Meghan Stasz, Senior Director of Sustainability
Food waste is a major issue in the U.S. and globally, and last Tuesday, the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA) held an all-day meeting with other industry stakeholders focused on wasted food in the U.S. and spent the day discussing what is being done to address the problem.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and the other founding members of FWRA – the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and National Restaurant Association (NRA) – joined an impressive group of government groups, NGOs and industry organizations. We updated each other on current efforts and projects, shared perspectives on the issue of food waste, identified opportunities for collaboration to overcome barriers and worked to coordinate individual efforts. Looking back, three distinct themes emerged as priorities moving forward: education, measurement and partnership.
Food waste happens everywhere along the supply chain – from farms to manufacturing facilities to grocery stores and restaurants to homes. This means that everyone has a role to play in reducing waste. But because so many people don’t know just how much food is wasted or the environmental and social implications that come as a result, this is where education comes in.
Last week, we heard from experts working to inform and engage consumers on how to shop smarter and reduce waste in their own homes. These included a group called SustainableAmerica which recently launched a consumer education website and the Natural Resources Defense Council, (NRDC) which is working with the Ad Council on a campaign to help consumers understand the issue and provides tips on how to change behavior. This kind of work is instrumental in getting the message out and helping U.S. households save money and reduce food waste and its environmental impact.
A second major theme was the importance of measuring food waste, especially in the food supply chain. This often means educating companies about food waste first and then helping them understand the value of measuring that waste.
Companies across sectors have a difficult time measuring exactly how much of their waste stream is organic material and further understanding of how much of it is good, nutritious food that could go to those in need or be turned into energy or composted, as opposed to being sent to landfill. As a result, the FWRA and many other groups are developing tools and methods to help companies – large and small – measure their food waste. The business adage of “you can’t manage what you can’t measure” really comes into play here, as companies often see immediate opportunities for improvement once they understand their food waste.
Finally, the attendees talked about the power of and need for partnerships to solve the many reasons for food waste, including sharing stories of existing efforts like the three companies in the Midwest who are splitting the cost and use of an anaerobic digester, which turns food scraps into energy, and several food donation groups who highlighted the effectiveness of successful partnerships. Every day retail grocery stores and restaurants have food to donate and their local food bank is not only a source of expertise on how to get that food to the hungry, but also on the critical pieces of the supply chain that make donation successful. From transportation to food safety to storing and distributing food, partnerships between food businesses and food banks are a win-win for all involved. It’s through partnerships like these, in fact, that helped the food manufacturing industry donate 106 million pounds of food annually, according to a recent FWRA study.
Last month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced the country’s first ever goal to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030. GMA strongly supports this challenge and knows that in order to get there, everyone has a role to play.
Tuesday’s meeting highlighted that the way to do that is through education, measurement and partnerships up and down the supply chain, working together to find opportunities to generate less waste, recycle unavoidable food waste (like peels and rinds), diverting it from landfills, and get food to those who need it. We are excited about the work already underway and look forward to future opportunities for collaboration.
National Restaurant Association Blog: Food, what a terrible thing to waste
10/13/2015
By: Laura Abshire, Director of Sustainability Policy and Government Affairs
In the restaurant industry, guest satisfaction is one of our top priorities. Customers expect a flawless dining experience during every visit and we want to provide that. In order to meet their expectations, we offer great selection and value, which can translate into an abundant supply of food. However, this abundance can also result in the generation of food waste, which is problematic.
In food and environmental circles today, the topic of food waste seems to be everywhere. It’s being addressed in articles and documentaries, in high-tech solutions and in local mandates and regulations. It is the sustainability topic du jour.
As this issue gains momentum, I’m pleased to say our industry is taking notice. Restaurant operators are beginning to change their thinking around food recovery and reducing waste. Though we still have a ways to go, we’re working with partners to find ways to divert waste from landfills and put it toward better use, such as recycling or donating it to those in need.
Through our participation in the Food Waste Reduction Alliance, a coalition made up of members from the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the Food Marketing Institute and members of our Association, we’re working to educate the food industry on the issue. We realize that education is the key to real change so we’re getting the word out to operators and their customers alike. We’re committed to teaching them and sharing best practices to help solve the problem. But making significant progress will take time and help from everyone involved. No one company or entity can do it alone.
On Oct. 6, we held a food waste reduction summit at our offices in Washington, D.C., that brought together food companies, sustainability specialists and government agencies to talk about how we can reduce food waste generation.
The all-day event included panels on waste reduction at the source, the latest on food donation programs, best practices in food waste recycling, and consumer knowledge of food waste. The meeting served as a forum for attendees to share their accomplishments, challenges, and plans for future initiatives.
So, what was the big takeaway for everyone? We agreed we’re on the right track, but that more work must be done to create understanding and “buy in” from the public.
We also recognized that while there is still more to do be done, real change is happening. With waste prevention technology more readily available to everyone, reducing food waste is much more achievable than ever before.
In addition, we’re trying to engage more restaurants in donating their unused, prepared food to organizations tasked with feeding those in need. It’s not only good for the community, but also for business. Companies can receive tax credits for safely donating their food. Our partnerships with organizations like Food Donation Connection and Feeding America are geared toward getting the word out about the benefits of participating in those programs.
With the government’s recent announcement of a national goal to reduce food waste 50 percent by the year 2030, it is essential for all of us to work together to make it a reality. It is ambitious; but through education and training, we can make a true difference.
Visit Conserve for more information on food waste reduction efforts in the foodservice industry.
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About the Food Marketing Institute
Food Marketing Institute proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry. FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion. Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to more than 1,225 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI membership covers the spectrum of diverse venues where food is sold, including single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains and mixed retail stores. For more information, visit www.fmi.organd for information regarding the FMI foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org.
About the Grocery Manufacturers Association
Based in Washington, D.C., the Grocery Manufacturers Association is the voice of more than 300 leading food, beverage and consumer product companies that sustain and enhance the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the globe.
Founded in 1908, GMA is an active, vocal advocate for its member companies and a trusted source of information about the industry and the products consumers rely on and enjoy every day. The association and its member companies are committed to meeting the needs of consumers through product innovation, responsible business practices and effective public policy solutions developed through a genuine partnership with policymakers and other stakeholders.
In keeping with its founding principles, GMA helps its members produce safe products through a strong and ongoing commitment to scientific research, testing and evaluation and to providing consumers with the products, tools and information they need to achieve a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. The food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry in the United States generates sales of $2.1 trillion annually, employs 14 million workers and contributes $1 trillion in added value to the economy every year.
About the National Restaurant Association
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 14 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 21-24, 2016, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter@WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.