The State of Food Waste In America
Globally, we waste about 1.4 billion tons of food annually, and wasting food contributes to 11 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to this 2021 Guide. The United States discards more food than any other country in the world – nearly 40 million tons every year. That’s estimated to be 30 to 40 percent of the entire U.S. food supply. Food insecurity is also a major issue. Before the pandemic, 35 million people across America had food insecurity and that number is expected to rise to as much as 50 million in 2021.