Cutting Through the Eco-BabbleFinding meaningful and actionable solutions for impacting health and sustainability

Erin FitzgeraldAmerican Academy of Nutrition, Food And Culinary Professionals

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March 6, 2015

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Photo Credit: Food, Booze & Shoes http://foodboozeshoes.blogspot.com/2010/06/god-bless-queen.html; License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode

'Eating is an agricultural act'-Wendell Berry

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1. Sustainable food system challenge

2. Dairy is leading and taking action

3. What WE can do today—Go beyond Eco-babble

Food & Sustainability: Cutting Through the Eco-Babble

Wall Street Journal, 4-2-2009

Population X

Consumption≠

Special thanks to WWF for graphic

Our consumption = 1.5 planet earths

Special thanks to WWF for graphic

Our Carbon Footprint

The Average U.S. Household Carbon Footprint

Transportation30%

Home29%

Food, Goods & Services41%

Other Food3%

Cereals2%

Produce2%

Dairy2%

Meat6%

Travel Home Goods & Services Other FoodCereals Produce Dairy Meat

Food, 15%

Quantifying Carbon Footprint Reduction Opportunities for U.S.Households and CommunitiesChristopher M. Jones* and Daniel M. Kammen*

40% is what we buy

The Average U.S. Household Carbon Footprint

Travel30%

Home29%

Goods14%

Services12%

Other Food3%

Cereals2%

Produce2%

Dairy2%

Meat6%

Travel Home Goods Services Other Food Cereals Produce Dairy Meat

Quantifying Carbon Footprint Reduction Opportunities for U.S.Households and CommunitiesChristopher M. Jones* and Daniel M. Kammen*

The Average U.S. Household Carbon Footprint

Travel30%

Home29%

Goods14%

Services12%

Other Food3%

Cereals2%

Produce2%

Dairy2%

Meat6%

Travel Home Goods Services Other Food Cereals Produce Dairy Meat

Quantifying Carbon Footprint Reduction Opportunities for U.S.Households and CommunitiesChristopher M. Jones* and Daniel M. Kammen*

Foodprint

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Sustainability Food Issues

Pesticides

Waste

Land Use Change

Food Miles

Yields

Local

Land Rights

Water FootprintCarbon Footprint

Farmer Livable Wage

Affordable and Accessible

Labor

Animal CareHealth

Trade

Safe

Our Challenge

40 years =8,000 years

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70% of world population will live in cities by 2050

2009, FAO's Director-General on How to Feed the World in 2050. Population and Development Review, 35: 837–839.

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Global middle class will triple by 2030

2009, FAO's Director-General on How to Feed the World in 2050. Population and Development Review, 35: 837–839.

Animal food products demand expected to continue rising globally

70% of suitable agricultural lands already in use or under protection

202009, FAO's Director-General on How to Feed the World in 2050. Population and Development Review, 35: 837–839.

Future net arable land expansion

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OECD-FAO 2009. Agricultural Outlook 2009-2018. 15th Edition. Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, and Food and Agriculture Organization

Net arable land is projected to expand globally only by 5%mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America

22OECD-FAO 2009. Agricultural Outlook 2009-2018. 15th Edition. Organization for Economic Co-

Operation and Development, and Food and Agriculture Organization

Net arable land projected to decline in North America by 2% annually

52% of projected world population exposed to severe water scarcity by 2050

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Veolia Water. 2011. Finding the Blue Path for Sustainable Economy. Veolia Water. International Food Policy Research Institute

4.8 billion people projected to live in water scarce areas by 2050

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Foreshadow of what is to come?

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Total economic cost to agriculture• $2.2B • 7,100 jobs impacted

2014 California Drought

60% of the fallowed croplandSan Joaquin Valley

UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, 2014

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Diversity of the biological food system is enormous

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10,000 + Soil Types in the United States

source: Ohio State University soil scientist)27

Clay Loam

Sand Gravel

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26 plant hardiness zones (from 1a to 13b)

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Farmer diversity is very similar to restaurants

American Farmland TrustNational Restaurant Association

3,180,074 farmers

1,000,000 restaurant operators

Source: USDA, American Farmland Trust, 4*% Continental U.S., 40% entire United States

48% of landmass in the US is in the hands of farmers

The REAL challenge: Healthy people…healthy planet

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Overweight and undernourished populations Food insecurity

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Nutrition needs vary around the world

Not only more food, but nutritionally adequate diets for healthy people

2012

Today’s Diet Patterns

Population 310M (U.S.)7.5B (globally)

Recommendati

ons

Dietary Guidelines

2050

Good food for more people

Population growth =+ 110M (U.S.)+ 2B (globally)

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Projections of the U.S. and World Population, International Database.33

FoodFeedFiberBiofuel

Social Quality of Life

Economic Viability

Environmental Quality

The need for a sustainable food system

Healthy Food

Enabling a 21st century sustainable food system requires:

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2. Manage for and adapt to natural resource constraints

3. Advance farm technologies for yields and optimize use of nutrients within a bioeconomy

1. Reduce waste and inefficiencies

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Unprecedented Change and Innovation Required

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Farmers can’t do this for us in the next 40 years

if we are still eating too much and throwing food away

Today, 1/3 food is wasted

Lost retail value $166 BDisposal costs add $1 B in local taxes/yr

Buzby, and J. Hyman. “Total and per capita value of food loss in the United States”, Food Policy, 37(2012):561-570.Hall, Kevin D., Juen Guo, Michael Dore, and Carson C. Chow. "The progressive increase of food waste in America and its environmental impact." PLoS One 4, no. 11 (2009): e7940.

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Food waste is 4 x the impact of buses and rail

4x

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Photo of average annual American family food waste by National Geographic, October 2014. Buzby, Jean C., Jeffrey Hyman, Hayden Stewart, and Hodan F. Wells. “The Value of Retail‐and Consumer‐Level Fruit and Vegetable Losses in the United States.” Journal of Consumer Affairs 45, no. 3 (2011): 492-515

The average consumer wastes 1.1 lbs. of food per day, 401.5 lbs. per person each year

Food waste from the average American family of four adds up to 1,606 lbs. of uneaten food annually.

Questions so far?

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Understanding Dairy’s hoofprint and our commitment to sustainability

Keeping livestock

was required

for successful

farming

The Dairy industry today at a glance

113 companies & 180 professionals in the Sustainability Council

Coops & Farmers

Crop Production

Dairy Processor

Transport

Retail & QSR

Community

Sustainability Council

We commit to being leaders in sustainability, ensuring the health

and well-being of our planet, communities, consumers and the

industry

Cheese

Suppliers

Alliance DairiesClauss Dairy Farms

Fair Oaks FarmsFiscalini Farms

Foster Brothers FarmGar-Lin Dairy Farm

Graywood FarmHaubenschild Farms Inc.

Holsum DairiesKooistra FarmsMaddox DairyMarBec Dairy

Medeiros & Sons DairyMcCarty Family Farms

Mystic Valley DairyNobis Dairy

Prairieland DairyRovey Dairy

Simonson DairySpruce Haven Farm

Triple A FarmsWerkhoven Dairy

Associations/Government

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Feed Production

Milk Production

Milk Transport

Processing Packaging

Distribution

Retail

Consumer

Environmental impact

Life cycle science establishes baseline environmental footprint for U.S. DairyPeer-reviewed, published, and contributed to open-source National Agricultural LibraryNational Institute for Food and AgricultureNational Academies of Science

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Grounded in science

Click here for LCA Special Issue

Click here for U.S. Dairy’s Environmental Footprint

Since 1944, producing a gallon of milk requires fewer resources

Cropland Water Carbon

90% less in 2007

65% less in 2007

63% less in 2007

Source: Capper JL, Cady RA, Bauman D. The environmental impact of dairy production: 1944 compared with 2007. J Anim Sci. 2009;87(6):2160-2167.

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Opportunities for efficiency and innovation across the value chain

1 Does not include sources related to waste.2 “Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Fluid Milk in the U.S.” University of Arkansas, 2010. Based on environmental andconsumption data from 2007-2008. Natural variability in data ranges from 15.3 to 20.7 lbs. CO2e. The total fluid milkcarbon footprint is approximately 35 million metric tons, with a 95% confidence range from 30 to 45 million metric tons.

2.05 CO2e kg/kg fluid milk consumed

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Opportunities for efficiency and innovation across the value chain

1 Does not include sources related to waste.2 “Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Fluid Milk in the U.S.” University of Arkansas, 2010. Based on environmental andconsumption data from 2007-2008. Natural variability in data ranges from 15.3 to 20.7 lbs. CO2e. The total fluid milkcarbon footprint is approximately 35 million metric tons, with a 95% confidence range from 30 to 45 million metric tons.

2.05 CO2e kg/kg fluid milk consumed

EcoEfficiency

Innovation

Transportation 28%

Industry 29%

Commercial 17%

Residential 17%

US Territory 1% US Dairy Farms2 1.4%Total US GHG (7168 Tg CO2e) Emissions by EPA sectors1

US Dairy industry is ~2% of US emissions, with ~1.4% of US total at farm gate

Sources: 1: EPA (2010), for 2007 data; 2: US Dairy estimate from Univ. of Ark. (2010), for 2007/2008 data.

Note: crop production for cows is double-counted; it appears in Ag and US Dairy Farms

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Key findings: dairy uses ~5.1% of U.S. water withdrawal

Variability = Opportunities

We are on a continual journey to a more sustainable food

system

Credible, transparent and industry led. Program that is equal to or exceeds the competition while satisfying the demands of retail customers and dairy consumers.

Demonstrate progress. Buyers and sellers seek proof that dairy – “from grass to glass” – uses practices that protect natural resources and promote community well-being and economic vitality.

Mission: one approach. Create a voluntary method to track and communicate stewardship and sustainability progress.

Single approach from “Grass to Glass”

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Both available on USDairy.com

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34 dairy industry CEOs and chairpersons committed to…

25% by 2020

GHG reduction for fluid milk

Small steps add up!

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Two farms taking different steps to address climate change

2014

http://www.worldwildlife.org/partnerships/innovation-center-for-us-dairy

Steve Maddox, Maddox Dairy Farm, Riverdale, CA

Andrea and Cliff Sensenig, Kirkwood, PA

Culinary Institute featured U.S. dairy case study in Menus of Change

USDA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

Working Conditions

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U.N. Climate Change ConferenceDecember 2009 Copenhagen, DK

"This historic agreement, the first of its kind, will help us achieve the ambitious goal of drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions while benefiting dairy farmers.”

-- USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack

MOU was renewed April 24, 2013 in Washington, DC

Collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund

http://www.worldwildlife.org/publications/facing-the-challenge-together-sustainable-food-for-the-21st-century

Dairy cows contribute to the nutrient cycle of the food system

Forages (grass) By-Products

Human Edible

Manure Happens 80% humans

can’t eat

Provide Nutrient dense foods

Contribute to food system

20% humans might eat

Collaboration with the White House on voluntary commitment and innovation

It’s Only Waste

If You Waste ItWhat if we could enable a 21st century food system and bioeconomy through food cycling?

Dairy digester(1,000 cows)

Source: Frear et al, 2011 Clean – Soil, Air, water 2011, 39 (7), 697-704

What if: 2 tons/wk of food waste were repurposed?

What if: 2 tons/wk food waste added to manure digester?

2 tons/week

• 226 tons Nitrogen• 28 tons Phosphorus• Green Power for 300 homes

(Annual Values)

• 17 tons Nitrogen • 1.3 tons Phosphorus

2 tons/week Nutrients (N & P)

(Annual Values)

15 M tons commercial & retail food

waste70% of retail

waste

4.8 M tons food processing

waste

109 M tons dairy cow manure

Manure & Food Waste: closes the food cycle

Reduces total landfill by 8%

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Nitrogen fertilizer for 5% of corn production

Phosphorus for more than all U.S. tomato production

813 M bags of nutrient rich potting

fiber

Electricity for 1 M homes

3.2M cars off the road

Or 25% of total dairy footprint

Informa Economics, USDA, White House, Based on 2,700 dairy farms and average food loss

Farm to Fork

CDC

1.5 Earths

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TOO MUCH!

CDC

TOO MUCH!69% adults

overweight or obese!

CDC 2012

CDC 2012

CDC

TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH!

CDC 2012CDC

TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH!

1/3 of Food going to AWAY!

CDC 2012

CDC

TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH!

TOO MUCH!

CDC 2012

CDC

TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH!

TOO MUCH!49M people

(including16M children) food insecure

CDC 2012

CDC

TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH!

TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH!

Farm

Fork

to

78National Agriculture Library, USDA

Portion control• Leftovers

Get good food to

people who need it

Recover valuable nutrients

back to the landbase

Provide food back to food

system

Small steps add up!

Reduce portion

size 25%

The average American family of four consumes 14.4 lbs of food per day and wastes 4.4 lbs.

Small steps add up! Reduce portion size

The simple step of reducing portion size by25% could save:

1. Buzby et al. (2011)2. 2 lbs CO2e/lb food produced. Venkat (2012)3. Average price $1.67/lb food. Venkat (2012)4. Meals are 1.2 lbs/ meal USDA-ARS

1314 meals donated

$2,190 in food budget

1 Year

10 trees planted

1 Day

3.6 meals donated

$6 in food budget

Reduce portion

size 25%

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Reduce Food Waste by 25%

The average American family of four consumes 14.4 lbs of food per day and wastes 4.4 lbs.

Small steps add up! Reduce food waste

1 Day

$6 in food budget

1. Buzby et al. (2011)2. 2 lbs CO2e/lb food produced. Venkat (2012)3. Average price $1.67/lb food. Venkat (2012)4. Meals are 1.2 lbs/ meal USDA-ARS

$2,190 in food budget

1 Year

The simple step of reducing food waste by25% could save:

10 trees planted

Reduce Food Waste by 25%

1314 meals donated

3.6 meals donated

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Innovation needed for climate adaptation

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Healthy eating is paramount to solve our environmental and

social challenges

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Small Steps Add up… Waste Not!

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Farm

Fork

to

appendix

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http://www.foodwastemovie.com/quiz-js/http://cleanbinproject.com/

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