01 Mar USDA Resources
USDA FoodKeeper App
The FoodKeeper app was developed by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, with Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute, to help consumers understand food and beverages storage to maximize the freshness and quality of items.
USDA Food Loss and Waste
When food is tossed aside, so too are opportunities for improved food security, economic growth, and environmental prosperity. USDA is uniquely positioned to help address the problem of food loss and waste through its programs, policies, and guidance.
USDA ERS: Estimates of Food Loss at the Retail and Consumer Levels
To estimate retail-level food loss, ERS researchers applied the 2011–12 loss rates to 2016 quantities of fresh fruits available for sale in retail stores.
USDA ERS: Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Documentation
The ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability (LAFA) Data Series is derived from ERS’s food availability data by adjusting for food spoilage, plate waste, and other losses to more closely approximate actual intake.
USDA Farmers to Families Food Box
As part of the Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program, USDA is partnering with regional and local distributors– whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities– to purchase and distribute up to $3 billion of fresh produce, dairy, and meat to those in need.