NFRA Takes on Food Waste Challenge

The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has joined the USDA and EPA’s U.S. Food Waste Challenge, which aims to reduce, recover and recycle food waste in the United States.

NFRA’s initiative, "Raising Awareness to Reduce Food Waste," will demonstrate the frozen and refrigerated food industry's commitment to lowering food waste by highlighting the activities of the organization"s member companies. Additionally, NFRA will formulate a visibility plan to leverage opportunities for leadership, among them communicating food waste reduction initiatives to trade media, informing consumers of ways to minimize food waste with frozen and refrigerated products, taking part in relevant conferences and forums, and sharing food waste reduction resources and best practices with the frozen and refrigerated food industry.

Since, according to the New York-based Natural Resources Defense Council, the average American family loses as much as $2,275 annually by throwing out excess food, NFRA views the food waste issue as an opportunity to present frozen and refrigerated foods as cost-effective, waste-reducing options for consumers.

A 2010 report from the Washington, D.C.-based Food Waste Reduction Alliance found that 40 billion pounds of discarded food end up in U.S. landfills.

Harrisburg, Pa.-based NFRA is a nonprofit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry.