Washington Center for Sustainable Food Management

Food is a valuable resource. According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, nearly 1 in every 6 people is food insecure across our state. When food is thrown away, we lose more than just nourishment. We also waste the water, energy, labor, and other inputs used to grow, harvest, and transport that food. This has big costs for everyone. Learn more about food waste in Washington, including how to prevent food waste in your household, business, or school.

I want to...

78-thousand-ton reduction in edible food waste by 2025; 50-percent reduction in food waste and 50-percent less edible food by 2030.

The 2019 Washington State Legislature unanimously passed the Food Waste Reduction Act, establishing the food waste reduction goals. Washington generates over 1.2 million tons of food waste annually, with a large portion being edible food going to the landfill.

To meet the statewide goals, we need to:

Reduce total annual food waste by at least 608,390 tons.
Reduce edible food waste by at least 195,032 tons, including rescuing 78,012 tons for human consumption.

Food Center focus areas

Goals of the center: Building partnerships, improving data and tracking, driving research, inspiring learning and action, advancing equity.

The Use Food Well Washington Plan recommended creating the Center for Sustainable Food Management (Food Center). The Organics Management Law authorized the Food Center and planning began to develop strategic priorities and focus areas. The Food Center established five key focus areas informed by the Use Food Well Washington Plan and feedback from food system partners and experts.

The Use Food Well campaign helps people see the value of food waste prevention by highlighting cost savings. It launched in April 2024 as part of Food Waste Prevention Week.

Check out the Use Food Well Resources for a collection of tips and tricks to prevent wasting food at your home or business. These can also be used by local governments and community-based organizations doing outreach or social marketing campaigns.

During 2024 National Food Waste Prevention Week, we had the most participants of any state. This group now meets regularly as a peer network.

We learn from local food waste prevention programs and plug into national groups like the Food Too Good to Waste Network. When we can, we connect local and regional partners with a shared mission to prevent food waste.

Email us to join the Use Food Well Peer Network.

Following The Last Mile – Analyzing Barriers and Best Practices in Washington’s Grocery Food Rescue System, our current research includes a work group looking to improve edible food donation (food rescue) from businesses.

We also support ongoing research and case studies as part of the Pacific Coast Food Waste Collaborative. Through local, state, and national work groups, the Food Center looks for ways to support research and share results to prevent food waste in all parts of the food system.

See our research reports below.

Research reports

How to prevent food waste – Use Food Well

The impacts of wasting food are big! With many food-insecure people in our communities, people in Washington throw away enough edible food to make 105 meals for every Washingtonian (7.81 million people).

According to ReFED, the average family of four wastes over $3000 a year of edible food, which could be better spent elsewhere. In 2024 we launched the Use Food Well campaign to help Washingtonians become experts in preventing food waste. Go to UseFoodWell.org to start by meal planning, shopping smart, and properly storing food. Find video ads, toolkits, and other resources on our partner resources page.

Using food well is for everyone, so what can you do to reduce food waste?

Contact information

The Food Center
foodcenter@ecy.wa.gov

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