How much fresh produce never leaves the farm? What happens to it? Does it have value?
Specialty crops, especially vegetables, are lost at high rates in the field. But, it doesn't have to be this way.
Reach out to discuss how food loss can be reduced in your operation, or at the agricultural level of the food supply chain in your state, region, or country.
There is very likely a way to generate value from your surplus!
The EPA's hierarchy doesn't align well with the unique conditions present in agricultural production
Often the two most popular suggestions to reduce food loss on farms are to 1. reduce overproduction, and 2. donate more produce, exactly aligning with the EPA's food recovery hierarchy, published in 2015. If we were referring to a restaurant, or school cafeteria, then these suggestions would apply easily. However, the success of growers is reliant on uncertain factors, like the market and the weather. Similarly, the food loss generated in a given year is primarily reliant on the market and the weather. Grower interviews informed this Farm Surplus Solution Hierarchy, which shows that growers have many of their own ideas for moving more fresh produce out of the field. Many of their suggested solutions fall into the *Prevention* category as well, which is exciting to see.
Now, let's get to work on these solutions!!
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