Project Drawdown estimates that “if 50–75 percent of food waste is reduced by 2050, avoided emissions could be equal to 13.6–26.0 gigatons of carbon dioxide. Reducing waste also avoids the deforestation for additional farmland, preventing 77.1–-75.1 gigatons of additional emissions.” It is worth noting that this estimate combine include both food loss (which happens in the food supply chain before food reaches retailers, food service providers, and consumers) and food waste (which happens at the retail and consumer points).

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Actions

• Consider working directly with a farmer at farmers’ markets or through a CSA. Working directly with farmers can improve efficiencies and reduce food loss.
• Encourage school districts to work directly with farmers for their produce. These direct channels between farms and consumers improve efficiencies and can reduce food loss, though the extent of the improvement is unknown. (USDA)
  • The Farm to School network has a guide to connecting your local school to local farms.

More information

• Economic Drivers of Food Loss at the Farm and Pre-Retail Sectors: A Look at the Produce Supply Chain in the United States
• Second Harvest Heartland Farm to Food Shelf
• Farm to School network
• Farm to School USDA