Governor Proclaims Food Waste Prevention Week

FOOD WASTE PREVENTION WEEK

2025

BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, one-third of all food produced in the United States is thrown away rather than eaten, and safe, nutritious food that has been discarded could help feed more than 1.2 million North Carolinians who experience food insecurity; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina encourages North Carolinians to reduce food waste and recover edible food using resources found from North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Use the Food NC campaign; and

WHEREAS, all North Carolinian households can better utilize food resources and save an average of $1,500 per year; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina K-12 schools and universities play a vital role in educating the next generation on reducing, recovering, and recycling surplus food and food scraps; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina has the opportunity to save shared resources, such as land, water, labor, and energy, used to produce and transport food that ultimately goes uneaten; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina provides opportunities for farmers and food service establishments to sell and use traditionally unmarketable, “ugly” food, and for commercial organics recycling businesses to use inedible food scraps to create valuable soil amendments; and

WHEREAS, preventing food waste is an important way people and businesses across North Carolina can reduce harmful methane emissions and make the best use of food grown and manufactured for human consumption;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSH STEIN, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim April 7-13, 2025, as “FOOD WASTE PREVENTION WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.