Food Waste & Food Recovery SNAP-Ed Extension Educator Amy Funk, MSA SNAP-Ed Extension Educator Phone: (618) 344-4230 Email: amyfunk@illinois.edu

31% Of Food From Retail and Consumers Goes Uneaten Food Waste 31% Of Food From Retail and Consumers Goes Uneaten 133 billion pounds $161 billion worth of food. USDA’s Economic Research Service

National Waste Reduction Goals USDA & EPA First National Goal to Reduce Food Waste by 50 Percent by 2030 2015 Food Retailers, Agriculture Industry, and Charitable Organizations Support

US Food Waste Challenge Reduce by improving product development, storage, shopping/ordering, marketing, labeling, and cooking methods. Recover by connecting potential food donors to hunger relief organizations like food banks and pantries. Recycle to feed animals or to create compost, bioenergy and natural fertilizers.

Food Insecurity Nationally over 17 million suffer from food insecurity (13%) Madison County Insecurity Rate 13.8% St. Clair County Food Insecurity Rate 17.4% St Louis County Food Insecurity Rate 16.1% What is it? Unable to afford balanced meals, worried their food will run out before they have money to buy more, Forced to skip meals because they can’t afford enough food, in more severe cases they can’t afford enough food. It is important to mention that food insecurity looks different in the US than in other countries. Often those that are food insecure have a diet higher in sugar and salt. Hunger and health are connected. People who are food insecure are disproportionally affected by chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and according to research, food insecurity is also linked to several overall health effects.

Food Pantries Madison County 20 Food Pantries St. Clair County 26 Food Pantries Many churches have church supported pantries, These numbers reflect those that work with Operation Food Search and the St. Louis Food bank. In just St. Clair County alone the St Louis Food Bank distributed 3.5 million pounds of food to their partner agencies….this year so far they have distributed 3.1 million pounds of food.

FREE & REDUCED Lunch Madison County Of the 90 schools in Madison County reporting free and reduced lunch eligibility, 47 have over a 50% eligibility rate Over 1/3 of the schools are between 80-100% free and reduced lunch 34 of those schools exceed 80% eligibility

FREE & REDUCED Lunch St. Clair County Of 105 schools reporting free and reduced lunch eligibility, 61 have over a 50% eligibility rate 58% and 34% (1 in 3)-For many students nation wide, school meals are some of the only exposure youth have to a balanced meals. 36 of those schools exceed 80% eligibility

Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 Improve child nutrition and standards School Wellness Policy Obesity epidemic 1:3 children classified as overweight/obese Research Kids who eat well, learn better Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 was passed to imporve child nutrition. The legislation authorizes funding and sets policy for USDA's core child nutrition programs: the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program. So what is the connection to food insecurity. Of those that are food Limited Resources and Lack of Access to Healthy, Affordable Foods. The school meal program is an opportunity for many students in our region to receive a balanced meal (and exposure to one). School waste was happening way before the changes in the dietary guidelines for schools. In recent years there have been pieces of legislation and regulations promoting nutrition and physical activity among children and the school environment, that schools participating in federal meal programs (like the national school breakfast or lunch program) must abide by.

Food Waste SCHOOLS U.S. Food Waste Challenge, calling on entities across the food chain – farms, agricultural processors, food manufacturers, grocery stores, restaurants, universities, schools, and local governments – to join efforts to reduce food waste focusing on reducing, recovery and recycling. Today, I am going to speak to the school waste side of things….how many people have heard statements about the new nutrition standards being blamed for food waste in schools? For those that have school aged children, this is likely something you have heard a time or two. First I want to highlight what research has shown as highlighted in a USDA infograph …. 1/3 of food nationally ends up not being consumed. In the school environment there are several things that have increased food waste. Research has shown that food waste prior to the new standards is about the same now as before they were implemented. At the elementary level, recess before lunch can decrease food waste up to 30% Extending the lunch period to 30 minutes instead of the average 20 minutes (many school students have less than 20)—reduced plate waste by nearly 1/3rd. Incorporating various marketing and visual prompts with healthy messaging—one can increase fruits and vegetables consumption up to 70%

Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act 1996 Encourages and allows for donation of food and grocery products to non-profits for distribution to individuals in need. Protects from liability when you donate to a non-profit organization Protects from civil and criminal liability should the product be donated in good faith Standardizes donor liability exposure Defines gross negligence as "voluntary and conscious conduct by a person with knowledge (at the time of conduct) that the conduct is likely to be harmful to the health or well-being of another person.“

Policy 2011 USDA amended the National School Lunch Act providing statutory authority for food recovery and donation policy. JUNE OF 2016, USDA produced historic share table guidelines for K-12 schools On November 18, 2011, the National School Lunch Act (NSLA) was amended by adding, the Food Donation Program. Povides clear statutory authority for Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) food recovery and donation policy in schools and institutions participating in the Child Nutrition Programs, the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, and other meal programs The statute clarifies that any program food not consumed may be donated to eligible local food banks or charitable organizations.   It also extends protections against civil and criminal liability for persons or organizations when making food donations to the extent provided under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, ONE THING TO NOTE AS WE WORK IN THE COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, IT IS IMPORTANT TO WORK WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY WHAT FOOD YOU CAN DONATE--ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL ORDINANCES. http://www.fns.usda.gov/use-share-tables-child-nutrition-programs

Waste Reduction Success Food Rescue Indiana has connected over 200 caring agencies with over 200 restaurants, and 350 schools resulting in over a million meals being rescued annually. http://www.k12foodrescue.com

Food Rescue Indiana created First State Guidelines in the U.S. For School Food Recovery For Student Tray To Trash Solutions/Donations. GOAL Policy allows for the safe and legal donation of unwanted, unopened, and unpeeled food items from the trays of students Were Written by The Indiana Dept of Health and Indiana Food Rescue Indiana became the 1st State To Publish State Guidelines in Collaboration with food Rescue

Exploring Local Solutions Food Bus Works with school systems to implement and maintain a program of food recovery and distribution. http://foodbus.org/toolkit/ USDA Food Waste Challenge http://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/index.htm Right now only three schools are working with Food Bus in Illinois. However, they can be a resource to assist a school to get started… They can start a direct relationship with a local food pantry or soup kitchen, which we have a great example coming up next. However there are challenges that surface—so our hope today is to learn and explore ways to partner and support one another as we work to improve food access, availability while decreasing food waste.

Coming together is the beginning; Keeping together is progress; Working together is success. HENRY FORD

SNAP-Ed Extension Educator Amy Funk, MSA SNAP-Ed Extension Educator Phone: (618) 344-4230 Email: amyfunk@illinois.edu