Employing Regional Produce Cooperatives to Enhance Household Nutrition and Reduce Food Insecurity 

Millions of Americans struggle with food insecurity. Feeding America established Regional Produce Cooperatives to direct a greater variety of produce to food banks at a lower cost. Feeding America is evaluating whether the decrease food waste, shorten the time between source and distribution and increase access to produce. Ultimately, the project aims to increase consumption of nutritious produce and decrease food insecurity.

Blackfeet Innovation Pathways to Food Sovereignty: Sustainability through Indigenous Applied Research Partnerships 

Despite the Blackfeet Nation’s rich agricultural diversity, the Piikani people suffer from diet-related health disparities and persistent poverty. Blackfeet Nation and Montana State University researchers are helping ranchers and farmers make cost-effective management decisions, investigating regional food systems and identifying how tradition Indigenous foods influence Piikani health.

Environmental and Nutritional Benefits of Food Recovery and Redistribution: A Pilot Assessment in New York’s Capital Region 

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is highlighting food system deficiencies. Producers are struggling to reach consumers due to concerns with processing, distribution and demand. We provided supplemental funding to the University at Albany research team to study how COVID-19 is impacting food access in New York’s Capital Region. This research is focusing on how the fresh produce recovery and redistribution arm of the Capital Region food system is responding to changes resulting from COVID-19.

Food Recovery and Redistribution: Finding Solutions for Food Insecurity 

Value-Added and Nutritionally Superior Extruded Foods from Agricultural Waste Streams 

Much of fruit and vegetable skins, seeds, cores and stems left behind after food processing becomes a form of agricultural waste known as pomace, which has limited utility and harms the environment. Cornell University researchers are developing a technology to convert this waste into snack foods.

Towards Production of Residue-Free Healthy Fruit Crops 

Timely insect pest management is critical for quality tree fruit and wine grape production. However, consumers are increasingly alarmed by synthetic pesticide, which leave residues on produce and contaminates the environment. Washington State University researchers are developing and evaluating alternative pest management technologies that aid conventional and organic growers in reducing their reliance on broad spectrum pesticides.

Reducing Food Waste by Reshaping Consumer Behavior Using Data-Informed, Dynamic Economic Incentives 

Consumers often mistakenly interpret “best-by” labels as an expiration date and prematurely discard food that is safe for consumption. Cornell University researchers are developing models that predict milk spoilage and shelf life, as well as the effectiveness of interventions that predict when food spoils and how to prevent consumers from disposing of items that are still safe.