Photo credit: Brian Ray, AP

– “Government agencies set goal to cut food waste in half by 2030”
“As part of its effort to act against climate change, the Obama administration has taken a sweeping stance to reduce food waste by 50% in the next 15 years.

The announcement Wednesday [Sept. 16] from the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency is a continuation of efforts in recent years to educate consumers about food date labels and safe food storage, as well as partnerships with food companies to address food insecurity and help figure out how to reduce the billions of pounds of food that go to landfills.

The average American family of four throws away an estimated $1,500 worth of food every year, and overall, retailers and consumers waste nearly a third of the country’s food supply, according to government data,” by Hadley Malcolm, USA TODAY.
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– What can you do?
“Every state has a sustainable agriculture organization or biological farming organization that is the nucleus of the farmers in that state. You can also find an ever increasing number of “eat local,” and “buy local” directories, in which local farms will be listed. The following organizations can also help you locate farm-fresh foods in your local area, which allow you to bypass the broken food-production system that’s currently in place:

Local Harvest – This Web site will help you find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Farmers’ Markets – A national listing of farmers’ markets. [Yelm’s Farmers Market]
Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals – The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, and hotels, and online outlets in the United States and Canada.
FoodRoutes – The FoodRoutes “Find Good Food” map can help you connect with local farmers to find the freshest, tastiest food possible. On their interactive map, you can find a listing for local farmers, CSAs, and markets near you.
Weston A. Price Foundation has local chapters around the US where you can find organic, grass-fed milk and other organic foods,” quoting Dr. Mercola.
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From Thurston County Solid Waste:
“Wed like to get your input on the issue of wasted food and our outreach efforts to date. Please help us by taking our short survey.”
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