Food Politics

Americans toss out, on average, 72 billion pounds of safe, edible food each year. Around 52 billion of those pounds flow from manufacturers, restaurants, and grocery stores into landfill. Feeding America, a nationwide network of over 200 food banks, has developed a new tech platform called MealConnect to intercept some of that trash-destined food and divert it toward the one in eight food-insecure people in the United States.

Everyone wants to ensure food is safe, accessible, nutritious, and available for all. At General Mills, that responsibility is at the heart of much of what we do.

In honor of World Oceans Day, Fair Trade USA, the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in North America, launches a campaign to raise awareness of issues in the seafood industry.

You probably cook with basil in your kitchen — for most of us it’s a staple herb, and not something we give much thought to as we chop it up and sprinkle it into our food. For a community in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, basil is more than just a flavor enhancer: it’s a way to reintegrate back into the community, to grow food sustainably, and sell that food locally to chefs at organizations like Nestlé Professional.

The food and beverage industry is evolving rapidly, as are available packaging options. Innovation and adaptation have become a top priority as companies strive to provide greater product value and meet consumers’ evolving demands for packaging that is convenient to use, fit for purpose, and environmentally friendly. Some of the expected packaging trends and innovation we can expect to see in 2017 are described below.

Kernza is the product of years of plant breeding at The Land Institute, an independent, nonprofit research institute in Salina, Kansas. The Land Institute, a recent McKnight grantee, envisions developing an array of perennial grain crops that could be planted in mixtures to mimic native prairies. If the effort is successful, Midwest agriculture could feed consumers while generating clean water and healthy soil.

Sodexo partners with our K-12 school partners and external organizations to share our industry experience and best practices to drive fundamental change on the issue of food waste. Over 4.7 million pounds of food has been donated by Sodexo through our partnerships with Food Recovery Network and Campus Kitchens Project.

The recent years have seen a major shift in people's relationship with food and drink, which have acquired a much more funcional role in​ our​ lives. ​Like in other sectors, data is key and the public want as much information as possible to make a purchasing decision.​ For that reason, the food and beverage industr​ies have to adapt to cater to new demands and needs, lest they could fall ​lag behind.

Dr. Phil Pardey, professor of agricultural economics at the University of Minnesota and director of the International Science and Technology Practice and Policy Center, discusses the implications of today's shifting population trends for the global food system.

Oregon Tilth and the Xerces Society have created Bee Better, a new certification designed to encourage a pollinator-friendly approach to agriculture and meet consumer demand for increased transparency and environmental responsibility from food producers.