Keynote Address: Feeding the Future-The Food Waste Dilemma

Over 80 billion pounds of food waste are generated in the United States every year and very little of it is recycled. The many tons of food waste sent to landfills every year represent wasted resources that could be redirected towards feeding the hungry, feeding animals, generating clean energy, and producing compost to enrich our agricultural production. This situation has become the focus of governments, NGO's and industries around the world. To address this monumental issue we must first understand it, then focus on developing the tools, resources, policies and goals to implement collaborative solutions within the supply chain. The potential risks and rewards of action are astounding and there is much "low hanging" fruit in terms of "wins" that various industries can accomplish quickly together. The session will provide an overview of this important topic and highlight opportunities for engagement.