Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree on Monday proposed sweeping new legislation that seeks to reduce food waste in the United States with a system of new tax credits and a redesign of food expiration date notices.
Pingree said as much as 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. is wasted, including uneaten food at restaurants and in homes. The value of that wasted food, according to Pingree, is $161 billion a year — or about $1,500 annually for a family of four.
With millions of U.S. residents suffering from food insecurity, the money lost on tossed meals should motivate Congress to act, Pingree said.