January 2022

Food loss and waste is estimated to be roughly one third of the food intended for human consumption in the United States. When food is discarded, all inputs used in producing, processing, transporting, preparing, and storing discarded food are also wasted. Food loss and waste also exacerbates the climate change crisis with its significant greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint. Production, transportation, and handling of food generate significant Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions and when food ends up in landfills, it generates methane, an even more potent greenhouse gas.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact everyone, many Americans grapple with food insecurity. This past year, in fact, over 29 million adults and 12 million children struggled to afford food, while more than 1 in 5 Black and Latino adults and children reported food insecurity.

USDA is collaborating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the Closer to Zero (C2Z) initiative. C2Z provides a crucial framework for the work that must be done to reduce heavy metal content in foods, but particularly in foods consumed by infants and children, our most vulnerable group.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is committed to providing equitable access to food to all Americans, but racial disparities in food security still exist. With the rate of food and nutrition insecurity higher among Black, Hispanic, and Native American populations, the data bears this out.

To ensure the greatest impact of the research and statistical work conducted in the Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area, equity, diversity and inclusion must be a core part of our USDA science agencies’ programs, operations and culture.

It’s no secret that supply chain issues experienced across the country have created challenges with food accessibility. Rising COVID-19 cases along with severe weather complicated the flow of goods and services, yet USDA programs have responded with creative solutions to ensure Americans had access to healthy foods.

The USDA Agricultural Research Service’s National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois (a.k.a. “The Ag Lab”) has a storied history of scientific and technological innovation that includes methods to mass-produce penicillin and biobased engine lubricants.

Nearly 1 billion people are hungry, and even more are food insecure. Farmers and ranchers around the world are having to adapt to changing climate conditions to continue producing enough food to feed the growing global population, support their own livelihoods and their communities.

As a farmer, I understand the level of risk involved in our line of work. A strong farm safety net is key to ensuring the success of American producers. USDA’s Risk Management Agency is committed to improving access to crop insurance and training for producers that have historically lacked access to resources.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides extensive data on the Nation’s conservation program activities through its RCA Data Viewer. And now, data visualizations have been added to the tool, making the data easier to interpret, sort, and download.