P&P October 2015

is lost or wasted globally, which amounts to about . billion tons per year.” In industrialized and medium- and high-income nations, like the United States, waste is more strongly related to consumer buying habits and breakdowns in the supply chain. FAO lists farmer–buyer sales agreements, cosmetic standards, confusion about sell-by dates, and consumer care- lessness as factors that contribute to high amounts of food waste. The U.S Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service estimates that between and percent of food is lost—totaling $ billion in . Such waste greatly exacerbates resource consumption, methane gas production, and food insecurity. Simon didn’t have to look far from the campus to see where discarded food could have gone to use. Many of the surrounding areas in Maryland— Prince George’s and Montgomery counties—as well as the Northeast and Southeast quadrants of Washington, D.C., are classified as “food deserts.” The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service defines food deserts as “urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and a ordable food.” Additionally, Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap ” report found that nearly one in three children in Washington, D.C. are food insecure— the household-level economic and social condition of limited or unsure access to adequate food. For Simon “it was a no-brainer to say ‘ok look, there are local organizations trying to fight hunger right down the street from [UMD] … let’s get this good food to hungry people.’ ” In , the UMD students decided to start the Food Recovery Network (FRN) to recover perishable food from

What FoodWaste Looks Like in America Imperfect sells farm produce to consumers after it has been rejected by supermarkets and restaurants because of “unnatural” appearance. This, despite the looks having no affect on taste. Among the produce it offers are carrots deemed too crooked (above), misshapen pears (left), and Pink Lady apples that have too small a diameter (below).

Lisa Dupree is a Summer 2015 marketing and communications intern for APHSA.

Photos courtesy of Imperfect

10

Policy&Practice October 2015