Should the government invest in programs to reduce food waste?

No

Yes, and the government should losen regulations on soup kitchens and other food services to allow more food to be donated.

Yes, all the food waste from school, Healthcare industry, Corrections facilities, should go to the non-corporate Farms to produce fertilizer and feed the pigs.

No, if the food is natural and not laced with chemicals and preservatives, then food waste is not a problem.

No, however there should be regulations on companies regarding food waste.

Food processing and reduction needs to be overhauled with computerized data management and systems down to one's need for nutrition. We live in an era of absolute abundance there should not be any food waste.

Yes, in terms of government paying for production of agriculture only to discard the very food it is subsidizing.

Yes? At what scale? Industrial farms or kitchen tables? This question is too vague. I can't see what such an investment would look like.

Yes because food waste could hurt and/or kill animals depending on the food if they get to the food.

Yes, but primarily from companies rather than the average citizen. Majority of pollution, food waste, and over-filling landfills with non-degradable product is due to corporate waste for profit.

There should be more awareness of Food Banks and Food Pantries. Maybe add tax credits for those who donate

Reducing food waste is important but the government does not not to be at the forefront of every movement.

the government should invest more in the people that grow it, and the people that distribute it and the people that tend the land for it.

No, for food waste use it and donate it to homeless shelters. Reducing the amount of food waste that goes into it. And it feeds individuals.

Government should reduce regulations around food donations so that it is easier to donate food that would otherwise be wasted.

No, give incentives to businesses to reduce food waste, rather than having the government directly fund programs.

Yes and increase education options so people can create plans that work for them to reduce wasting money and food. Help reduce the stigma that food has to look picture perfect to be acceptable for purchase.

No, reducing food waste is a good idea, but it shouldn't be a new government program, it is best done through private industry, non-profits, & not-for-profits.

Food waste is fine if you have plenty of compost deposit sites and farms suitable for the compost. Food items with far to many additives that can do more harm to soil than good should've been regulated out from the beginning.

yes creating local community gardens and incentivizing people to compost their food waste will reduce it in the long term

Educational programs should be provided to both individuals and businesses and businesses should be required to donate what’s not used as long as it’s still safely consumable.

I don't think that the government can control that I think we as a community need to work on wasting less food,

No, allow them to be more privatized for the sake of low taxes, low national debt, weak government, checks and balances, federalism, and capitalism.

Yes, the government should invest in programs to reduce food waste because a lot of people are not fortunate enough to get the needs in life so people should try not to waste food in general after eating and save leftovers for a later day.

Yes, but use it for actual reasons and not for random things that people will never use and thus creating more waste

We do need some disincentives to overproduction, but I think that distribution to people who are food insecure is the best option.

Yes, and require ALL restaurants to give away wasted food at night to homeless shelters and homeless people.

Yes, increase the food bank network to allow product passed its sell by date to be given away. Cut back farming subsides if surplus product is not given away to such networks.

No, because it has no use and we already need to focus on stopping the reckless spending, lowering taxes for everyone regardless of class, and popping the national debt

Also, for the sake of capitalism, checks and balances, weak government, and federalism, it should it up to the programs

If the programs use more money than the amount of money lost on food waste, it's a waste of money by the government.

Yes, government investment in programs to reduce food waste is beneficial, offering opportunities to increase food security, foster economic efficiency, promote resource conservation, and address climate change.
Here's a more detailed look at the arguments for government investment in food waste reduction programs:
Benefits of Government Investment:
Increased Food Security:
Reducing food waste ensures that more food is available for consumption, particularly for those who are food insecure.
Economic Savings:
Food waste costs businesses and consumers money, and reducing it can lead to…  Read more significant savings.
Environmental Protection:
Food waste that ends up in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and reducing waste helps mitigate climate change.
Resource Conservation:
Food waste represents a significant loss of resources, including water, land, and energy used in production, processing, and transportation.
Promoting Innovation:
Government investment can incentivize the development and adoption of innovative technologies and practices to reduce food waste across the supply chain.
Tax Incentives:
Governments can offer tax incentives for farmers, businesses, and organizations to donate wholesome, unsold food, reducing the financial barrier to donating.
Infrastructure Development:
Government funding can support the development of infrastructure for food handling, processing, and storage, enabling better food preservation and reducing waste.
Education and Awareness:
Government-led educational campaigns can help consumers and producers understand the importance of reducing food waste and adopt better practices.
Examples of Government Initiatives:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Sustainable Management of Food (SMM) Program:
The EPA offers grants for innovative projects aimed at reducing food waste across the supply chain.
California's SB 1383:
This law mandates recycling and sets targets for reducing organic waste sent to landfills.
Federal Interagency Collaborat

No the people should if that's an issue they feel strongly about. Leave government out of most things

No, instead allow grocery stores to donate food near its best by date, allow churches to cook for the community and the like.

Yes, as long as the programs are equally effective in reducing waste by the same amount of money being invested.

Yes, Government should mandate donation of unsellable but still edible foods instead of allowing companies to waste

Yes make it to where everyone takes their food waste and puts it into compost bins or instead of throwing way food we make good compost for farmers since we are losing the amount of top soil we have

I guess so, but there needs to be more specificity behind these "funding" and "investing" questions. It's too easy to select yes for all of them. Will these be paid for with tax increases, cuts in other programs, or more borrowing?

Yes, replicate systems like what San Francisco does, they put food waste in a facility, they mix it together, and form a fertilizer, and it helps farming. This is one of many examples that can reduce food waste, but also boost agrarianism.

Again, support the idea of this, but private companies and agencies should be involved in this instead, leaving more power into the hands of Americans.

Yes, and take all the additional vitamins out of our food supply to turn it back to what it was before the 1930s when we started to add too many vitamins to our diets .

No, Implementing a food waste management program in a capitalist country requires incentivizing businesses and individuals through tax benefits, subsidies, and innovative solutions that align waste reduction with economic profitability.

No, private industry can create a company to coordinate with other food providers to better disburse the left-over ready-to-eat food to needy populations

No. We can't have McTrump floating a program about food waste. But we can have RFK craftily get the goal of reduced calorie intake and properly created natural foods, which will naturally reduce food waste.

Yes, and loosen regulations for food donations. All food that would otherwise be discarded should be preserved for charity or the homeless.

Yes, and we should donate any edible food to services for people who need it. If the food is not edible, it should be turned into compost unless if it has any harmful chemicals (which it shouldn't in the first place)

Yes, by changing laws that are restricting grocery stores and restaurants from giving food away. If they don't add more regulations and rules and try to help versus trying to control.

No, the issue is there, but the government already has too many pots boiling on the stove. Non-political solutions can be found, I'm sure.

No, and the government should revisit and update existing regulations that restrict alternatives to addressing food waste.

YES! There are multiple areas where the food waste could be used. This is a blank page that needs to be filled up!

Suppliers(Grocery Stores) should donate potentially dated food to food pantries to help with hunger. STOP throwing it out!!!

No, rely on voluntary participation in reducing food waste and let private businesses address this issue.

I think it should be at state and city levels not federal. We waste so much food in our country, it is shameful. There are so many underserved areas we should be able to donate food that would otherwise go to waste.

If the investment accounts for less than 10% of the total funding at the federal level, and is divided into more than three different states, then the government should invest in food waste management.

Yes, only if the focus is on large companies. Encourage donations to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other good causes to help reduce excess.

Yes, by providing tax breaks for corporations that donate food to the homeless and low-income family food banks.

Large amounts of food waste is from companies that are "forced" to throw food away, thanks to the capitalist mindset that says people need to earn the right to eat. I heavily disagree. Everyone deserves affordable food. If programs encourage companies to actually give their food away to those in need instead of disposing it, then yes I'd be all for it.

Absolutely, humans as a whole waste an incredible amount of food, among other resources. If we continue this way, we'll end up in serious trouble a hundred years or less down the line.

I think stores should send expired food to homeless shelters and non profits for a tax deduction and restaurants should be able to give to public for small farms or poor people

Investing in programs to reduce food waste is a win-win: it protects the environment, saves money, and helps feed those in need. By redirecting surplus food and improving efficiency, we cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, reduce costs for businesses and consumers, and tackle food insecurity—all while driving innovation and creating jobs. With transparent oversight and collaboration, we can ensure these investments deliver real, impactful results without unnecessary costs or waste. It’s a smart, sustainable move for our future.

I'm 50/50. On one hand, it would be good to see less food wasted. But -- I don't think it needs to be done by programs. Many stores - grocery stores, convince stores, restaurants, fast food - throw out perfectly good food daily. Instead of investing in programs to reduce food waste, how about making sure these establishments aren't wasting good food by throwing it out because it's week to it's date; instead give it to homeless shelters, package it and leave it for people to take, etc..

The government should restrict grocers from buying too much food, when said grocers know how much they sell.

Yes and incentivize foor rescue programs and provide insentives to use unconsumable waste and biosolids to create bio diesel to replace the fuel source for existing diesel vehicles

States and local governments should invest in local programs to reduce food waste. This is not a function of the federal government.

Not the government, but allow businesses to give food that would be thrown aways to people without the rick of being sued

If it can be turned it compost, then it could be. If it cannot and is harmful to the environment, then an alternative should be found.

I have seen that in just the United States alone about a billion tons of food is thrown away each year. What a waste of a valuable resource.

No, but the government should losen regulations on soup kitchens and other food services to allow more food to be donated.

I'd much rather incentivize private companies

No. The government already wastes food by all of the regulations. Food has to be thrown out when it could be given to people stricken with poverty.

No, allow and focus on programs that prevent waste through providing food to those less fortunate through individual efforts.

Only if the programs are informed by people such as farmers, ranchers, and others that are directly impacted.

No, but food stores and wholesalers should be required to donate end of day items, in lieu of disposal, to local shelters for use within 24 hours wherever possible.

Yes, but reduce food waste through education and invest in farmers who want to grow a variety of foods.

Yes, large corporations, especially in food services, are notorious for food waste. Food that is no longer sellable should be donated to local impoverished people, or at least allow employees to take it home and distribute to prevent waste.

No, we have an abundance of food in almost the entire world, the few nations that do not are not bothering to do their own agriculture (africa).

Government should encourage farming and ranching in the US and help connect need with American suppliers.

Yes, because food waste is a contributing factor of climate change, and also it affects the homeless population too.

Yes, because humans waste so much food and if we recycle it then we cold reuse it a s compost to grow more food.

Yes, and require companies to provide food that is edible but can't be sold for food banks and the impoverished.

Yes, and any unused foodstuffs from government-sponsored food programs (Like schools) should be donated to local humanitarian relief efforts like homeless shelters and food banks, or made available to low-income workers serving these programs.

Yes, and they should do so by developing a distribution program that provides food to low-income and homeless people and families

Yes, but it should be an agenda of local governments. The Congress is supposed to just set up a legal framework for these policies.

I feel that food that is not used or eaten at restaurants should give that food to homeless shelters or orphanages or to women’s shelters.

No, but a look a removing regulations that induce food waste (excluding safety concerns) should be removed or reworked

We should incentivize giving spare food to programs such as homeless shelters and food banks rather than just throw it away.

No, because this implies regulation of food waste and thus the need for oversight, inspection, and penalization. It should offer tax credits or incentives for independently validated food-waste reductions.

Maybe incentives on businesses with food waste (such as restaurants and food stores) who donate/provide food or like to people/groups in need. But with regulations on food safety still

Yes, but only if these programs target businesses. PSAs to consumers will not have a meaningful effect on the issue and would place the blame on the wrong people.

Yes, But it should be more focused on farming and food justice and sustainable resilient farming practices.

Yes, and illegalize the corporate practice of reprimanding or firing employees who donate uneaten food to those in need at the end of business hours.

No. Publix groceries has a wonderful program that shares food with local shelters. Our local farmers have boxes for pick-up on specific days for those who need help. One of the clinics I worked for - the nurses took the leftovers from our pharmacy lunch and learns to a local shelter. Encouraging food sharing and food drives - reduces food waste. Composting is another wonderful way to use food waste. Of all the big problems we have - this is not one of them in our country. And we sure don't need to have the government address this!