Reduce Food Waste and Grow Climate-Friendly Food

Priority Recommendation #5: Reduce Food Waste and Grow Climate Friendly Food

Studies reveal that roughly a third of the world’s food is never eaten, which means land and resources used, and greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted, in producing it were unnecessary. Interventions at the source and in school buildings can reduce loss and waste.

Priority Recommendation #5: Reduce Food Waste and Grow Climate-Friendly Food outlines 3 Operational Actions, 2 Mitigation Actions, and 2 Adaptation Actions considered critical to supporting the goals of this recommendation.

Operational Actions

Operational Actions 1 (O1) Incorporate Student, Parent, Staff, and Community Stakeholder Input into PGCPS Menus

For any changes to PGCPS foodservice to be successful, students need to have buy-in, as well as parents, teachers, staff, and other community stakeholders. PGCPS faces challenges operating a large food and nutrition system for a diverse student body. If food is not consumed for any of numerous reasons, this comes as both a financial and GHG emissions cost to PGCPS. PGCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) division already has a student advisory board that can be built upon to solicit the feedback it needs to make changes to the menu that mitigate and adapt to climate change while improving student meal satisfaction, meeting federal nutrition standards, and keeping meal costs financially sustainable.

Implementation Steps

1. Continue to utilize FNS’ student advisory board and incorporate CCAP goals into the board’s mission. Recruit students from green clubs to be represented on the advisory board and focus on incorporating more plant-forward and plant-based options on the menu that students will be excited about. (O1.Food.A)
2. Incorporate food sampling across all schools for new plant-forward and plant-based menu items so that students have the opportunity to try climate-friendly foods before deciding which items to purchase. (O1.Food.B)

Operational Action 2 (O2) Conduct Baseline Assessments for Food Waste and Values-Driven Purchasing

PGCPS will need to baseline and disclose data on its current levels of food waste, its food sourcing practices, and the GHG emissions associated with its foodservice. Ensuring a data-driven and transparent approach will be crucial to making measurable progress towards these goals while keeping stakeholders informed.

Implementation Steps

1. Conduct a food waste audits following U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or other best practices. (O2.Food.A)
2. Work with a external partners such as the Center for Good Food Purchasing to conduct and publicly share a baseline assessment of PGCPS, including: 1) spend on foods that are environmentally sustainable, 2) from a supply chain with a valued workforce, 3) sourced from local and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) producers, 4) humane, and 5) nutritious. (O2.Food.B)

Mitigation Actions

Mitigation Action 1 (M1) Implement Values-driven, Climate-friendly Foodservice

Replacing some animal-based proteins with plant-based proteins is one of the two most effective strategies for reducing PGCPS’ climate foodprint. Dozens of districts across the country (including New York City Public Schools, DC Public Schools, and Baltimore Public Schools) are implementing policies such as the Good Food Purchasing Program and meatless days to better align their food-service with their values around climate change, racial justice, healthy eating, robust local economies, fair treatment of workers, and humane treatment of animals.

Implementation Steps

1. Adopt the Good Food Purchasing Policy, a flexible, values-driven procurement policy that will gradually shift PGCPS’ food purchasing toward more foods that are environmentally sustainable, humane, nutritious, local, from supply chains with valued work forces, and from BIPOC producers. (M1.Food.A)
2. Establish one plant-based or meatless day each week (e.g. Green Mondays, Plantbased Fridays) and conduct student outreach and education around the climate benefits of plant-forward eating. This could include adding climate ratings to various menu options. (M1.Food.B)
3. Provide professional development training and education to foodservice staff to ensure they are equipped to prepare the new menu items and understand their climate and health benefits. (M1.Food.C)

Mitigation Action 2 (M2) Reduce Food Waste and Increase Composting

The other most effective strategy for reducing PGCPS’ climate foodprint is to reduce food waste. PGCPS has already joined districts across the country and the region in taking actions to reduce food waste by utilizing offer vs. serve, share tables, food waste audits, and composting. PGCPS is poised to become a leader in both reducing the carbon footprint of its menus (while improving student health and meal satisfaction) and reducing food waste. It will also be necessary for some schools in the system to develop robust food rescue and composting programs in order to comply with legislation (HB 264) passed in the 2021 Maryland General Assembly.

Offer Versus Serve (OVS) - National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs

The goal of OVS is to reduce food waste and allow students to choose the foods they want to eat. Under OVS, students must select three meal components to ensure they get the nutritional benefits of a meal. In the OVS program, students are NOT required to take milk as part of their reimbursable meal. Milk is a common item found in the trash unopened and unconsumed. OVS is required for lunches served in high schools, but is optional in middle and elementary schools.

Posting a PGCPS Offer vs Serve policy and administrative procedure documents on the PGCPS website would clarify how schools can reduce school food waste through OVS and let the public know PGCPS is taking steps to reduce food waste. Implementing OVS at schools would mainly focus on education and changing practices, and could be done at little to no cost yet will substantially reduce wasted food at schools.

Food Share Table / Food Donation

Share Tables are designated stations where students may return whole and/or unopened food or beverage items they choose not to eat. These items are then made available to other students who may want or need another serving during or after the meal service. Share tables can include milk and other temperature sensitive items when stored at correct temperatures following food safety requirements.

Several PGCPS schools already have partnerships with local food banks or food pantries. Food donation to area food pantries is a natural fit with Share Tables as another way to minimize wasted food from our schools. This is an opportunity for schools to find local partnerships in their communities.  

As detailed in the Capital Area Food Bank 2021 Hunger Report (page 9-10), residents who became food insecure during the pandemic are notably different from those experiencing food insecurity before the pandemic. Those newer to food insecurity are more likely to be Hispanic, employed, live in larger households with more children, fall into more severe levels of food insecurity, and be facing eviction.

Federal and State legislation eliminates liability for donor organizations and specifies that Maryland school districts can donate surplus food; Legislation includes the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 and MD HB 983 (2016) Public Schools -Food Recovery Programs-Authorization.

Implementation Steps

1. Develop clear written guidance for schools, post the guidance on the PGCPS website and implement reduction strategies prioritized in the following order:
   1. Offer vs Serve - emphasizes student choice and reducing waste of unwanted food items.
   2. Food Share Table - feed our students.
   3. Reuse items from Share Tables for suppers or other meals as described in USDA Policy Memo SP41, CACFP13, SFSP15-2016.
   4. Food Donations to Community Organizations - contribute to reducing food insecurity in the County.
   5. Compost Food Waste - recycle nutrients and feed the soil. (M2.Food.A)
2. Establish Offer vs Serve, share tables, and food donation program to local food banks in all schools. (M2.Food.B)
3. If permitted by local and state health and food safety codes, serve items from the Share Table, that are kept at proper temperature, during another meal service. USDA permits Share Table items, when kept at proper temperature, to be claimed for reimbursement during another meal service in situations where it is necessary to prevent food waste, as described in USDA Policy Memo: SP41, CACFP13, SFSP15-2016: The Use of Share Tables in Child Nutrition Programs. This is currently in practice in other districts such as Oakland Unified School District https://www.stopwaste.org/sites/default/files/4-pageFoodShare-Layout_FINAL.pdf. (M2.Food.C)
4. Expand PGCPS’ composting program to all schools and offices. This could include options for onsite composting or transportation of food materials to the Prince George's County Organics Composting Facility or a combination of both. Composting programs must include a learning element for the students and staff. Onsite composting bins should be provided to schools to utilize in lessons that teach students about composting; this direct hands-on experience with the composting process will increase student and staff understanding of and participation in the program. (M2.Food.D)
5. Conduct both targeted (food waste/organics) and broad (all school waste) assessments. As they are snapshots, they would need to be repeated. Additional staff and an external partner would be required. (M2.Food.E)

Resiliency Adaptation Actions

Action 1 (A1) Continue to Participate in Maryland’s “Farm to School Program” and Expand Sourcing and Promotion of Locally Procured Foods

While purchasing local food typically does not have a significant climate mitigation benefit, a robust local food economy is important for climate adaptation and resilience. As natural disasters increase and we risk becoming cut off from national supply chains, local and regional food supply chains will become a crucial climate security measure.

Implementation Steps

1. Utilize the new database the Maryland Department of Agriculture is creating for certified local farm enterprises interested in selling to Maryland institutions, including schools. (A1.Food.A)
2. Partner with community-based organizations to conduct environmental education around locally sourced foods offered in the cafeteria. (A1. Food.B)

Action 2 (A2) Create Resilient Food Production on PGCPS Properties

Producing food onsite has several resiliency benefits. For one it can be used as a learning tool for students so that they can begin to grow vegetables and fruits on their own. Secondly, if supply chains become weaker, onsite food production can both augment PGCPS’s access to food for students and ease the impact of price fluctuations. Also children have been found to eat more fruits and vegetables if they are homegrown. (See data in Sources of Data Referenced.)

Implementation Steps

1. New and retrofit buildings will be designed with localized food waste composting and designated land for food production, such as raised beds, and if possible greenhouses. (A2.Food.A)
2. Provide compost to participating schools to use in their school gardens and landscaping, so students see firsthand the benefits of composting and the product resulting from their efforts at school. Incorporate compost into PGCPS landscape applications. (A2.Food.B)
3. Allow students to participate in learning activities related to the onsite food production. (A2.Food.C)
   
   

   Recommendation Number	Operational Recommendations	Within PGCPS Control	Existing Initiative Alignment	Operational Readiness	Cost Effectiveness	Timeline (Years)
   O1 Food/Waste	Incorporate Student, Parent, Staff, and Community Stakeholder Input into PGCPS Menus	◉	◉	◉	◉	1+
   O2 Food/Waste	Conduct Baseline Assessments for Food Waste and ValuesDriven Purchasing	◉	◒	◒	◉	1-5

   
   

   Recommendation Number	Mitigation Recommendations	Within PGCPS Control	Existing Initiative Alignment	Operational Readiness	Cost Effectiveness	Timeline (Years)
   M1 Food/Waste	Implement Valuesdriven, Climatefriendly Foodservice	◉	◒	◒	◉	2-10
   M2 Food/Waste	Reduce Food Waste and Increase Composting	◉	◉	◉	◉	2-10

   
   

   Recommendation Number	Resiliency Recommendations	Within PGCPS Control	Existing Initiative Alignment	Operational Readiness	Cost Effectiveness	Timeline (Years)
   A1 Food/Waste	Continue to Participate in Maryland’s “Farm to School Program” and Expand Sourcing and Promotion of Locally Procured Foods	◉	◉	◉	◉	1-5
   A2 Food/Waste	Create Resilient Food Production on PGCPS Properties	◎	◎	◒	◉	1-5

   Chart Key: ◉ = Yes ◒ = Emerging ◎ = To Be Developed; Timeline from Year 2022

Equity Considerations

Low-income students disproportionately rely on school meals as a primary source of nutrition. Since climate-friendly foods (e.g., whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins) also tend to be healthier. Climate-friendly menus also have potential to improve student health outcomes, especially for the students who rely on PGCPS foodservice. Expanding plant-based options is also important from a rights-based perspective because students who do not eat meat or other animal products for religious, cultural, ethical, health or other reasons deserve to have options they can eat at school. For example, plant-based diets are growing most quickly among the African American population, so ensuring that climate-friendly, plant-based options are available at school meals helps to create an inclusive student meal program. Finally, equitable school foodservice should mean that those most impacted by the program should have a say in what the meals look like, which is why including ample student, parent, staff, and stakeholder feedback throughout the process is crucial.

Labor Partner Considerations

Shifting to plant-forward, scratch-cooked menus has the potential to lower food costs. Budgets can be shifted to labor costs, including hiring more staff and/or increasing pay to staff with scratch-cooking skills. Insofar as this plan includes food service staff professional development training, staff can benefit by learning new culinary skills and expanding their knowledge around the connection between food choices, food waste, and climate change.

Concerning composting, staff will need to be trained on proper handling and disposal of composting food waste in order to educate and supervise students in the correct sorting of materials and limit contamination. Ideally, staff and students would compost at their homes (either through their own on-site composting or local/county composting programs) and thus would help reduce the learning curve and ease the transition to composting in schools. Prince George’s County is expanding their composting program for county residents and several municipalities also provide home collection of compostable materials.

Additional staff will be needed to serve as Waste Reduction Specialists supporting and promoting source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting programs. These specialists will educate and engage students and school staff in implementing composting and waste reduction programs and activities. Expanding the composting program in schools will require additional direct, hands-on support to each school to help with the initial startup, implementing best practices, and making the new procedures a part of the school routine.

Implementation Team

Lead Agency

The Department of Food and Nutritional Services (FNS) will be the lead agency for continuing and expanding efforts to improve community input on menus, conduct the baseline assessment on purchasing, implement values driving, climate-friendly food service, efforts to right size food portions and production, and work to expand the use of the “Farms to Schools” program in PGCPS.

The Department of Food and Nutritional Services and the Department of Building Services will jointly develop and implement the food waste reduction policies and procedures.

Supporting Partners

The Department of Building Services will be needed to assist in conducting waste assessments and to expand composting programs.

Measurement and Tracking

O1 Incorporate Student, Parent, Staff, and Community Stakeholder Input into PGCPS Menus

1. Number of engagement activities on menus, percentage of parents and students participating, and breakdowns by grade level, race, gender, and board of education district.
2. Results of real life food rollout trials.

O2 Conduct Baseline Assessments for Food Waste and Values-Driven Purchasing

1. Being a baseline assessment the tracking consists of the assessment being completed. Additional tracking mechanisms for O1.Food, M1.Food, and M2.Food that results from this work should be added.

M1 Implement Values-driven, Climate-friendly Foodservice

1. Carbon footprint of food menus.
2. Total and percentage of meat-based and vegetarian meals consumed.

M2 Reduce Food Waste and Increase Composting

1. Total compostable waste by school in tons.
2. Percentage of food waste by type of food (e.g., meat, milk, vegetables, fruits), if possible, and if not random surveying should be employed (assuming funding is provided as recommended). For breakfast in the classroom programs, report the number and type of items unopened/uneaten and returned to the kitchen and participating number of students.
3. Total tonnage of materials (food, compostable trays, etc.) composted per school.
4. Total number of schools with active programs for: Offer vs Serve, share table, and food donation to food pantry. For food donation programs, report the total amount of food donated (weight or number of each item).

A1 Continue to Participate in Maryland’s “Farm to School Program” and Expand Sourcing and Promotion of Locally Procured Foods

1. Number of schools participating in “Farms to Schools Program”
2. Total food procured and consumed.

A2 Create Resilient Food Production on PGCPS Properties

1. Total food produced.
2. Total acreage farmed.

Helpful Resources

• Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 https://www.congress.gov/104/crpt/hrpt661/CRPT-104hrpt661.pdf
• Healthy Food Policy Project. https://healthyfoodpolicyproject.org/key-issues/zoning-for-urban-agriculture
• Historic Agricultural Resource Protection Program. https://www.pgscd.org/agriculturalland-preservation/harpp/
• Maryland Department of Agriculture. “Farm to School Program” https://mda.maryland.gov/farm_to_school/Pages/farm_to_school.aspx
• Maryland Department of Environment. “Food Waste Minimization and Related Activities A Toolkit for Maryland Schools.” https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/LAND/AnalyticsReports/Food%20Waste%20Minimiz ation%20and%20Related%20Activities%20-%20A%20Toolkit%20for%20Maryland%20Schools.pdf
• Maryland General Assembly. MD HB 264 2021 “Organics Recycling and Waste Diversion - Food Residuals” https://legiscan.com/MD/bill/HB264/2021
• Maryland General Assembly. MD HB 983 Public Schools – Food Recovery Programs – Authorization
• North Carolina Public Schools. “Meal Requirements under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Questions and Answers for Program Operators.” https://childnutrition.ncpublicschools.gov/regulations-policies/usda-policymemos/2019/sp.382019s.pdf
• Prince George's County Organics Composting Facility. https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/2667/Organics-Composting-Facility
• Prince William Food Rescue-PWCS Food Share Guide https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E8QLdLewoGma7sUZ5cMBgOKCF5sdlfH/view?usp=sharing
• US Department of Agriculture. “The Use of Share Tables in Child Nutrition Programs” (Policy Memo: SP41, CACFP13, SFSP15-2016) https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/use-sharetables-child-nutrition-programs
• US Department of Agriculture. Offer Versus Serve Guidance For the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program https://fnsprod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/cn/SP41-2015av2.pdf
• US Department of Agriculture. Offer Versus Serve (OVS) Tip Sheet for School Food Service Managers - National School Lunch Program. https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/84373/file/OVS%20Tip%20Sheet%20for%20Lu nch%20Meal%20Services%20USDA-July%202019.pdf
• US Department of Agriculture. Offer Versus Serve (OVS) Tip Sheet for School Food Service Managers - School Breakfast Program. https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/90967/file/OVS-Breakfast-Tip-Sheet.pdf
• US Environmental Protection Agency. “From Farm to Kitchen the Environmental Impacts of US Food Waste.” https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-11/from-farm-tokitchen-the-environmental-impacts-of-u.s.-food-waste_508-tagged.pdf
• US Environmental Protection Agency. “Food Recovery Hierarchy.” https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/food-recovery-hierarchy
• US Environmental Protection Agency. “Guide to Conducting Student Food Waste Audits.” https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/201712/documents/guide_to_conducting_student_food_waste_audit_-_nov_20_2017.pdf
• World Food Council. “Policy Handbook: Advancing Education for Sustainable Development.” February 26, 2019. https://www.worldfuturecouncil.org/wpcontent/uploads/2019/01/Handbook-ADVANCING-EDUCATION-FOR-SUSTAINABLEDEVOLOPMENT-by-Alistair-Whitby-WFC_2019.pdf

Sources of Data Referenced

• Project Drawdown website https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/reduced-foodwaste?mkt_tok=MjExLU5KWS0xNjUAAAGC9DW7SQSYBob5sQ25W2679GxUjGgUGO O0qPcvpb1m9t9Kuh3MTGcLPJeqh6h6Fo_W31WzYsmqcw3ZrTaRM9FsxpCUAz5HGJD5TjViIcIiX7Gpsc
• Capital Area Food Bank. Hunger Report 2021. https://hungerreport.capitalareafoodbank.org/
• Prince George's County Food Security Task Force Recommendations 2021, pages 9-10. https://pgccouncil.us/DocumentCenter/View/6996/PGCC-FSTF-Report_ONLINE2022
• Children Eat More Fruits And Vegetables If They Are Homegrown (or school grown) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070418163652.htm
• Laurel High School Student’s Eco-Activism Has Global Reach https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/01/16/laurel-high-school-students-eco-activismhas-global-reach