U.S. Representatives Sherri Pingree (D-Maine) and Dan Newhouse (R-Washington) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) today reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral system. Food Labeling Act, a bill aimed at ending consumer confusion about date labels on food and preventing Americans from throwing away usable food. of food ends up in landfills.of Food Labeling Act Reduce food waste by standardizing food date labels.
“Current food labeling practices are outdated, confusing, and completely arbitrary, and as a result, about 90% of Americans prematurely throw away perfectly safe foods. , takes a toll on families’ wallets, the environment and the economy.” Said Pingree, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Food Recovery Caucus. “By standardizing food dating systems and making labels less confusing to consumers, bipartisan food dating laws can help ensure that food is used and eaten rather than thrown away. increase.”
“Those of us who live in central Washington, like people across the country, continue to suffer from high grocery store prices, but an estimated 40% of U.S. food production is wasted. It is important not to discard safe food prematurely, and that starts with improving food labeling practices. It will help Americans save more of their hard-earned money by reducing the amount of food wasted in the United States.” Newhouse said.
“This law provides consumers and grocers with a clear and consistent food labeling system.” Blumenthal said. “Current labels are not clear about when products are safe to eat, discourage donations, and encourage food waste and anxiety. It’s an important step to reduce 40% of our food supply that goes to waste.”
click here Watch Pingree’s video on her food dating method.
There are currently no federal regulations related to date labels on food products, except for infant formula. Dating regulations are left to the states, so consumers have to sort through a hodgepodge of complex terms. “Sell by”, “use by”, “best before”, “expired” are just a few of the phrases used in food today. The bipartisan Food Dating Act establishes an easy-to-understand food dating system. “BEST If Used By” informs consumers that the quality of food may begin to deteriorate after the date, and “USE By” informs the end of the estimated period. Do not consume product after expiration date. Under the bill, food manufacturers will be able to decide which of their products will have a quality date or a disposal date. You can also sell or donate food after the indicated quality deadline, allowing more food to reach those in need.
An estimated 40% of food produced in the United States is wasted. Domestic food production accounts for significant land use, water use, and energy consumption, resulting in his 11% share of US greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, food recovery helps mitigate climate change and ensures that the effort and resources that go into food production are not wasted.
Pingree has long recognized that reducing food waste benefits both the environment and the economy. Pingree first introduced a version of the Food Dating Bill and a more comprehensive Food Takebacks Act at the 113th Congress. In the spring of 2018, she launched Congress’ first bipartisan food recall caucus with former Rep. David Young (R-Iowa), where she now co-chairs Rep. Newhouse. The 2018 Farm Bill includes provisions for Pingree to create the USDA’s first full-time food loss and waste reduction liaison, a composting and food waste reduction pilot program, and reducing waste on farms. included the Local Agricultural Market Program (LAMP) to
At the request of an investigation conducted in October 2017 by Rep. Pingree and Rosa De Lauro (D, Connecticut), the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has announced ways the federal government can scale up its efforts to reduce food waste. issued a report with recommendations for Another of his GAO reports was published in 2019, focusing on food date labeling.
Provisions to standardize food dates to reduce consumer confusion are also included in Pingree and Senator Martin Heinrich (DN.M). Agricultural Resilience Actwas reintroduced in March 2023.
Industry and Advocacy Statements Supporting the Food Date Act
Emily Broad Rabe, Director of the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic: “Clarifying and standardizing date label language is one of the most cost-effective, common-sense ways to reduce the 40% of food wasted in the United States each year. Action at the federal level. helps businesses and consumers alike use and understand date labels more effectively, and standardizes these labels across food and nationally to reduce food going to landfills and produce safe surplus food. Rep. Pingree and Newhouse and Senator Blumenthal introduce food labeling laws as a tool to address both hunger and environmental impact of food waste I am grateful for the leadership I have shown.”
Andrea Collins, Senior Specialist in Sustainable Food Systems, Natural Resources Defense Council: “Nearly 10% of all food waste in the United States is due to confusion over date labels. The bipartisan Food Date Act will standardize date labels, educate Americans about their meaning, advocate safe food donations, and ultimately have a major impact on America’s food waste problem. By preventing food from going to waste, we can save money in the pockets of homes and businesses and contribute to climate change by leaving food on people’s plates instead of sending it to landfills. “
Herrish Patel, General Manager, Unilever Nutrition North America, said: “On behalf of Hellmann’s, I would like to thank you for your leadership in reintroducing the Food Labeling Act. This bipartisan, bicameral solution will help do justice. Eliminate the patchwork of state laws that are reducing your chances.
ReFED Executive Director Dana Ganders said: “No one wants to wake up in the morning and waste food. Yet, as a whole, households are the largest source of food waste in the United States, with confusing date labels making up a large part of it. Also, food prices.” As food prices continue to remain high, it is more important than ever to help consumers get the most out of the food they buy. Educating consumers about this can help busy Americans stretch their grocery budget, give them peace of mind knowing food is safe to consume, and lead to a significant reduction in the amount of food that is wasted. I’m here.
Pete Pearson, Senior Director of Food Waste at the World Wildlife Fund, said: “In the United States, it is estimated that 30 to 40% of the food supply is lost or wasted. Threatens the region Places such as the primeval grasslands of the Great North Plains. When we waste food, we waste the land, water and energy used to produce it. Also, as this food decomposes in landfills, it releases a lot of methane. In this context, preventing food waste represents an important act of conservation. Food labeling laws, along with national consumer education, raise awareness of food waste and help us all coordinate our behavior at home. This is a win-win for consumers and the environment. “
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