Jan 18, 2024 - News
Farms fuel California's food surplus
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California farms are the biggest contributors to the state's food surplus, generating 44% of the 13 million tons collected in 2022, ReFED data shows.
Why it matters: The majority of surplus food becomes food waste, affecting the climate, food insecurity and personal finances.
By the numbers: Produce from those farms creates 5.64 million tons of surplus food, which also includes food that is composted, donated or fed to animals.
- 4.12 million tons (32%) are residential
- 1.44 million tons (11%) are from food service
What's happening: A 2019 study from Santa Clara University found that one-third of the hand-harvested crops grown in California are left in the field.
- The produce isn't picked for a variety of reasons, including pricing, labor costs and consumers and retail buyers not wanting imperfect fruits and vegetables.
Zoom out: Across the country, 88.7 million tons of food went uneaten or unsold in 2022.
- That's equivalent to nearly 145 billion meals, worth $473 billion.
- Residential waste made up 42.8 million tons, or 48%, of that total.