NCL joins public-private partnership to help America slash food waste – National Consumers League
January 26, 2017
Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832
Coalition of 12 organizations launch FurtherWithFood.org, an online hub for information and solutions to cut food loss and waste
Washington, DC – Today, the nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy organization, the National Consumers League (NCL) announced the official launch of “Further With Food: Center for Food Loss and Waste Solutions,” an online hub for the exchange of information and solutions that can help realize the national goal of cutting food waste in half by 2030.
Further With Food (furtherwithfood.org) will be the definitive online destination for stakeholders – such as businesses, government entities, investors, NGOs, academics, and individuals – seeking to learn more about their role in meeting a national goal to reduce food waste by 50 percent. In addition to stimulating widespread adoption of proven solutions, Further With Food will enable coordination among stakeholders and will reduce duplication of efforts.
“Because food waste is one of the most pressing – and solvable – challenges of our time, we are proud to be one of the founders of this effort,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director. “Further With Food will be a place to compare notes on what’s working, to build on new ideas, and to scale the most effective solutions so that, together, we can build a more resilient and productive food system.”
The U.S. spends more than $162 billion growing, processing, and transporting food that is never eaten, costing the average family of four $1,500 every year. In the process, fresh water, energy, land, labor, and money are invested into food that’s never sold and meals that are never served, and leading to greenhouse gas emissions as food rots in landfills. With the announcement of Further With Food, the members of this public-private partnership are seeking to uncover and share proven solutions, as well as to ensure efforts are streamlined and effective.
“Curbing the enormous amount of food loss and waste in this county would help put food on the table to nourish people in need, conserve the resources of our planet, and help both individuals and companies save money,” said Erin Fitzgerald Sexson, senior vice president for Global Sustainability, Innovation Center for US Dairy. “The good news is that partners across the country are joining the effort to reduce food loss and waste. As these efforts expand, there is a need for a common place for these diverse groups to share and learn from one another, as well as educate the public.”
Further With Food will feature content on best practices for preventing, recovering and recycling food loss and waste; educational materials; research results; and information on existing government, business and community initiatives.
In addition to NCL, the participants in the Further With Food collaboration include the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Feeding America, Food Marketing Institute, Grocery Manufacturers Association, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Restaurant Association, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, World Resources Institute, and World Wildlife Fund. Major funding was provided by the Rockefeller Foundation. Keystone Policy Center provided technical assistance to the coalition.
About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
