A new report from the nonprofit Move For Hunger highlights the issue of food waste in New Jersey, estimating that the state wastes at least 1.6 million tons of food annually. The report calls for better coordination and resources to divert this wasted food to families in need, especially in the nine-county South Jersey area. Recommendations include increased efforts to recover food from supermarkets, improved education and awareness on preventing food waste, and the creation of nonprofit food hubs to collect and distribute emergency food.
The report, funded by The Tepper Foundation, also calls for increased communication between stakeholders in the food-aid ecosystem to reduce food waste at every stage of the supply chain. The report aligns with the efforts of the new state agency, the Office of the Food Security Advocate, which aims to coordinate efforts to feed the hungry. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin praised the report for its intentions to increase access to nutritious food and reduce waste statewide.
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