Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** according to the EPA, one third…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** according to the EPA, one third of food produced in the US is never eaten, and food waste accounts for just under 25% of materials sent to the landfill. Preventing food waste before IT is created, donating surplus edible food, and processing remaining foodwaste into compost presents an opportunity for waste reduction, feeding hungry people, and creation of a soil amendment that can support local farms -translating to environmental and economic benefits.through this project, tompkins county recycling and materials management (tcrmm)will build on its longstanding business assistance program to develop a moduleof new tools to reduce wasted food. Tcrmm staff will utilize this module to work with 10 businesses in identifying specific, actionable goals, such as reducing portion size and trim waste, establishing donation programs, and initiating food scraps collections for composting.additionally, despite its high desirability, there are few programs across the state to recover and redistribute donatedprepared foods. In partnership with the food rescue agency friendship donations network (FDN), tcrmmwill work with stakeholders to pilot a new system for rescuing prepared food that supports businesses, community food distribution partners, and underserved populations.lastly, this project will draw on the expertise of partners tompkins cortland community college, and the cornell waste management institute to enhanceon-farm composting systems and usage of finished product. Helping busy farmers create simple systems to divert food wastecan result in the development of a soil amendment that will enhance farm viability and reduce costs. IT will also pilot and model a food scraps take-back program, which canhelp improve business competition andofferan opportunity to engage and connect with customers, while increasing soil health and mitigating climate impacts.