In March, Oregon DEQ finalized its much-anticipated strategic plan for the preventing of wasting of food. The plan outlines a framework to direct DEQ’s work over a five-year period to encourage reductions in the wasting of food across the supply chain to support Materials Management in Oregon: 2050 Vision and Framework for Action.
Drawing on an eight-month long evaluation of the current landscape around preventing the wasting of food and an assessment of more than 80 potential projects, DEQ has identified nine projects that it believes will both “change the current conversation” around preventing the wasting of food and make significant, measurable contributions to the state’s waste reduction goals.
The first project is a major research effort into the causes, quantities and types of wasted food in Oregon. Other projects include the development of public information materials; engagement with commercial food service businesses; collaboration with the edible food donation and rescue community; supporting efforts to decrease public confusion around sell-by, use-by, and best-by date labels; and pilot projects in school kitchens.
The full strategy can be found here.