Friday November 29 Ag News

Reinke Recognizes Grossenburg Implement with Gold Pride Award
Reinke Manufacturing, a global leader in irrigation systems and technology, has recognized Grossenburg Implement in Wayne with a Gold Pride award in recognition of the company’s marketing year success. The organization was honored during Reinke’s annual convention in Charlotte.

“I want to congratulate Grossenburg Implement on receiving this award,” said Reinke Vice President of North American Irrigation Sales Mark Mesloh. “Reinke appreciates the dedication they have shown to the growers in their area. We are very proud to work with them and have them representing Reinke.”

Reinke dealerships from across the United States and Canada gather each year to attend the company’s sales convention. This year, Reinke dealers met in Kansas City, Salt Lake City and Charlotte. The awards recognized select Reinke dealers for their hard work, commitment to the higher standards of being 100% Reinke Certified and for their dedication to sales and marketing efforts throughout the past year.

The Reinke Pride awards are determined as part of an incentive program that distinguishes superior achievement levels according to an evaluation based on a dealership’s exterior and interior housekeeping and maintenance, indoor and outdoor displays, safety, retail environment, merchandising, professionalism, promotions, event participation and market share.



Nebraska farmers to receive $466 million in trade aid payments

(AP) — Iowa farmers are set to receive the most government payments to offset damage from the U.S.’s ongoing trade war with China.

The Des Moines Register reports Iowa farmers will receive $767 million in payments from President Donald Trump’s $16 billion trade assistance program this year. The Agriculture Department announced a second round of payments under the program earlier this month.

The USDA shows that the other states getting the most federal assistance in this year’s program are Illinois, at $707 million; Minnesota, at $519 million; Texas, at $497 million; Kansas, at $474 million; and Nebraska at $466 million.

Iowa Soybean Association board president Tim Bardole said the additional payments will help but won’t solve all the problems farmers are having this year.

“I don’t know of any farmers who aren’t short of money right now,” said Bardole, who farms near Rippey, Iowa. “It’s definitely helpful, but it’s not a cure for the issues at hand.”

The ongoing trade disputes have largely cut off U.S. farmers from the Chinese market, which has dramatically reduced exports especially for soybeans.

Last year, U.S. farmers received about $8.6 billion in assistance during the first year of the trade war as part of a $12 billion aid package.

Iowa farmers received $987.7 million in last year’s agriculture bailout, second only to Illinois growers, who received $1.1 billion.



Harvest and Propane Transportation Waivers Extended

Gov. Kim Reynolds extended two proclamations relating to the transportation of grain and the hours of service for the delivery of propane.

The governor signed a proclamation extending her Sept. 30, 2019, proclamation that allowed vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage and stover to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit, for the duration of this proclamation.

This proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (6) (b), by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

This proclamation extends the suspension of provisions relating to the transport of grain to 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2019. See the proclamation here.

The governor also signed a proclamation today extending her Oct. 31, 2019, proclamation that temporarily suspended certain regulatory provisions pertaining to hours of service for the delivery of propane.

Early winter weather conditions, late harvest, and high demand for petroleum products throughout the Midwest have resulted in low supplies of propane. The proclamation temporarily suspends provisions of Iowa Code § 321.449 pertaining to hours of service for crews and drivers delivering propane.

This proclamation extends the suspension of provisions relating to hours of service for propane delivery to 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 14.



Food Bloggers Learn To Prepare the Perfect Steak -

Nine social influencers attended a “BEefTogether” Steak Night, thanks to a partnership between the New York and the Iowa Beef Industry Councils, funded by the Beef Checkoff. This evening event focused on hosting with beef, including how to cut, cook and present the perfect steakhouse-style steak. Food Bloggers from throughout the Rochester area joined New York Beef Council (NYBC) staff and award-winning Chef Victor Ramirez, owner of Madison Bistro in Wampsville, NY.

“Cooking with beef does not have to be intimidating! Filet Mignon, a cut of beef well known as a staple on steakhouse menus can be prepared at home to wow a crowd”, shared Jean O’Toole, Executive Director of NYBC, “With the new knowledge from today’s event attendees understand how to cut, season and cook a steak to perfection. Post evaluations of the event revealed that 100% of attendees would recommend this opportunity to their colleagues, and every attendee gave the program 5 out of 5 stars.

The group learned about beef’s unique flavor profile and how to elevate steaks by engaging the fifth taste, umami. Chef Victor, winner of the 2019 NYBC Best NY Steak Competition, led attendees through the steps of developing compound butter with sundried tomatoes, blue cheese and fresh parsley. He also created a black garlic and fresh thyme compound butter for dinner.

NYBC Director of Producer Communications and Influencer Outreach, Katherine Staiger noted, “This event provided the opportunity to engage directly with key influencers to deliver a unique experience while they learn about beef’s unique flavor profile and how easy it is to enjoy beef with family and friends.” These influencers have a large social network and strong rapport with their followers. Their voices as beef advocates provides a direct link to thousands of consumers who may have questions about beef production, processing, or cookery. Therefore, arming bloggers with beef skills and information will help them to share the beef story.” The goal of the NYBC is to serve as the premier source of beef information to the influencers in our region.



Sasse to EPA: Give Nebraska Producers Certainty and Transparency

U.S. Senator Ben Sasse wrote to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, urging the EPA to revise its supplemental proposed rule in accordance with the President’s goal of blending a minimum of 15-billion gallons of renewable fuels.

Sasse urges the EPA to give Nebraska producers certainty and transparency, now. He also noted that the agency’s proposed three-year rolling average is not what was agreed to by the President in a recent White House meeting in which Sasse was a participant.

Sasse’s letter is available here and found below.

The Honorable Andrew Wheeler

I write regarding the supplemental proposed rule the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on the standards for 2020 renewable fuels and biomass-based diesel volume obligations for 2021.

Thank you for participating in the meeting with the President and Senators at the White House to discuss this matter. At this meeting, it was clear the President embraced the goal of blending a minimum of 15-billion gallons of renewable fuels into the transportation fuel market and that the three-year rolling average of small refinery exemptions granted be reincorporated into the annual volume obligations.

The supplemental proposed rule reflects and represents a core discrepancy from the discussion that took place at the White House meeting. In the proposed rule, EPA will use a Department of Energy (DOE) estimate of the small refinery exemptions. It is my understanding that while the EPA has received this data from DOE in the past, the agency has never adhered to the estimate, functionally ignoring the DOE recommendation. Nor was the use of this estimate agreed to by the President or other parties during this Oval Office meeting. More generally, the EPA’s proposed reliance on projected estimates rather than actual number of gallons waived is specifically frustrating to many in my state.

There is a consistent message I hear day after day from Nebraska producers: give me certainty and transparency from the EPA and we can succeed. The renewable fuels volume obligations set by the EPA each year should endeavor to be responsive to this modest request.

Sincerely,
U.S. Senator Ben Sasse



Ricketts Submits Comment to EPA, Calls on Agency to Fulfill RFS Promise

This week, Governor Pete Ricketts submitted an official comment to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its proposed rule to set renewable fuel volumes for 2020 under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.

The EPA’s decision to exempt oil refineries from their renewable volume obligations for compliance years 2016-2018 decreased demand for ethanol by more than 4 billion gallons.  In his comment, the Governor emphasized that the unprecedented number of exemptions granted by the EPA has caused unpredictability in the ethanol market.  He also expressed that the EPA’s actions have adversely affected the corn growers and ethanol plants who count on the steady demand for their products that a stable RFS provides.

“A strong biofuels market is essential at this time when farmers and biofuels producers are navigating the continued cyclical downturn in agriculture, combined with record weather-related challenges and ongoing impacts to the industry from trade uncertainty,” wrote Gov. Ricketts.  “We need to have confidence in the EPA and White House that the RFS will guarantee at least a net 15 billion gallons of ethanol demand for compliance year 2020 as soon as possible.”

Governor Ricketts is a past chair of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition.  In multiple conversations with the EPA, he has repeatedly called on the agency to honor its pledge to guarantee the full demand for ethanol established by the RFS.  In addition, he has urged the EPA to restore the gallons of ethanol demand that have been lost in recent years due to oil refinery exemptions.



NEB submits final comments asking EPA to uphold RFS

The Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB) has submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its proposed supplemental rulemaking to the 2020 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

On Oct. 15, the EPA released the details of its RVO proposal, which fails to ensure the RFS is upheld and continues to allow the EPA to blatantly abuse Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs). Despite earlier promises from the Trump administration that the EPA would reallocate SREs in 2020 based on the average of actual gallons waived from 2016 to 2018, the agency’s proposed approach fails to account for its previous shortfalls and does not ensure 15 billion gallons of ethanol blending will occur in 2020.

“Many farmers have had it! Multiple ethanol plants have stopped production. In addition, months of unfruitful promises from the EPA and Trump administration have left the ethanol industry where we started ­– suffering,” said Jan tenBensel, NEB Chairman and a farmer from Cambridge, Nebraska.

This tumultuous battle has caused a lot of distress throughout the industry, impacting ethanol producers, farmers, and investors eager to see the success of ethanol, which will in turn improve air quality and boost the economy. NEB maintains that it wants to see the EPA make up for the destruction that has occurred and to set safeguards into place that will ensure SREs are only granted to refineries who truly prove economic hardship.

“We need to have a relationship with the oil industry, which is what the RFS was intended to be when it was established many administrations ago,” said NEB Administrator Roger Berry. “We do not want to see the demise of the oil industry. Our world has not yet reached a point where we can be independent of oil. What we want is to work with them to make a sustainable future powered by a healthier fuel. If we continue to ignore the dire need to clean up our air with the addition of biofuels in our fuel, we are going to put ourselves into a world of hurt. This goes beyond pocketbooks for us. The success of the ethanol industry is important for the future of the world we ALL live in – not just farmers, ethanol producers, and environmentalists.”   

Regardless of the EPA’s decisions, the NEB urges the public to continue supporting ethanol. There are many simple ways to do this:
·         Submit your own comments to the EPA.

·         Create demand by continuing to use ethanol and asking others to as well. Buy flex fuel vehicles. If you are a dealership, sell more flex fuel vehicles.

·         Share with friends and family how and why you support ethanol. Are you a corn farmer? Do you work in an ethanol plant? Do you fill up with ethanol? Ask us for a free ethanol performs bumper sticker!

·         Stay in the know. The ethanol industry is not going away. There is constant policy work being done to see its success, and there are organizations working to increase its availability. Read up on ethanol regularly and become an advocate.

·         Educators – make ethanol part of your curriculum by exploring agriculture, science, and clean air initiatives.

·         Ethanol producers – work with fuel retailers to make selling higher ethanol blends easier.

·         Fuel retailers – empower your patrons to help our environment and economy all while saving a few bucks by simply filling up with higher ethanol blends at the tanks. You can do this by educating your employees and patrons about the benefits of ethanol, and selling ethanol blended fuels.



NBB Asks EPA To Properly Account for Small Refinery Exemptions

On Wednesday, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) submitted comments on the Environmental Protection Agency's Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the 2020 Renewable Fuel Standards. NBB urges EPA "to properly account for small refinery exemptions, address the remand of the 2016 standards, and increase the 2021 biomass-based diesel volume."

NBB welcomes EPA's proposal to estimate 2020 and future small refinery exemptions in the formula for setting Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs). In its comments, NBB calls it a positive and necessary step to ensure that future small refinery exemptions do not continue to destroy demand for biomass-based diesel. However, NBB points out that EPA's proposal falls short in several ways.

Kurt Kovarik, NBB's Vice President for Federal Affairs, states, "On October 4, President Trump, the EPA and USDA jointly pledged to account for small refinery exemptions in the RFS annual rule and ensure that the biomass-based diesel volume is met. On October 15, however, EPA proposed action that would significantly underestimate future exemptions and fall short of ensuring that RVOs are met."

NBB encourages EPA to use the best possible estimate of future small refinery exemptions -- specifically, a three-year average of the gallons EPA actually exempted. "Unfortunately, the proposal uses an average of past exemptions recommended by the Department of Energy (DOE) rather than an average of actual volumes waived," NBB writes. "Because EPA has ignored DOE's recommendations in each of the past three years, that methodology would only account for about half of the annual impact of recent small refinery exemptions."

NBB also points out that EPA does not propose to do anything about small refinery exemptions before 2020. "Over 4 billion gallons of demand for biofuels has been lost due to retroactive small refinery exemptions for compliance years 2015 through 2018. This impact has been particularly significant for biomass-based diesel producers because biomass-based diesel RINs can be used to satisfy multiple obligations under the RFS," NBB writes. "Despite having the means to do so, EPA has not proposed to do anything in the Supplemental Notice to address this massive loss of renewable fuel demand."

In the comments filed today, NBB reiterates its requests that EPA raise the 2021 biomass-based diesel volumes and the 2020 RVOs to include the 500 million gallons the D.C. Circuit Court recognized (in ACE v EPA) were improperly waived in 2016. "Increasing the RVO by 500 million gallons would not only be achievable by BBD and other renewable fuels, it would assist in reviving production, reopening production facilities, and saving jobs," NBB writes. "The BBD industry can still achieve higher volumes if EPA properly accounts for small refinery exemptions and increases the renewable volume obligations and account for the ACE gallons."



Growth Energy Calls on EPA to Deliver Real Biofuel Fix -

Growth Energy, the nation’s largest ethanol association, today called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to uphold the president’s commitment to farmers and biofuel workers by fixing a flawed proposed supplemental rule on 2020 biofuel targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In formal comments to the agency, Growth Energy calls on regulators to fully account for biofuel demand lost to oil industry exemptions in the final biofuel targets for 2020.

“Unfortunately, the current proposal fails to provide the certainty and stability that America’s farmers and biofuel producers need to rebuild after years of demand destruction,” said Skor. “It offers a solution based on outdated and inaccurate estimates, potentially keeping billions of gallons of biofuels off the market. The president has committed to upholding the integrity of the RFS, and communities across the heartland are counting on EPA to keep that promise by accurately accounting for lost gallons.”

In its comments to EPA, Growth Energy calls on regulators to account for a rolling average of actual exempted volumes from the three most recently completed compliance years, and provides detailed instructions on how EPA should execute these directives:
-    EPA’s projections should rely on the agency’s actual history of adjudicating small refinery exemptions (SREs) applications to be more accurate over time.
-    EPA should use the most recent data available when setting volume requirements, which for 2020 would be data from 2016, 2017, and 2018.
-    EPA should begin issuing partial SRE relief where appropriate—a practice that will better enable EPA to implement the SRE provision of the statute without undermining the RFS program’s overarching renewable energy mandate.
-    EPA should disclose additional data and analyses regarding SRE decisions to provide needed public insight into EPA’s decision-making process.

The EPA’s public comment period on the proposal ends on November 29.



RFA Urges EPA to Respect Congressional Intent and President Trump’s Commitment on the RFS -

For the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the choice should be clear and simple when it comes to implementing blending obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard: Just follow the law. That was the Renewable Fuels Association’s message in comments submitted today to EPA responding to the agency’s supplemental proposal for 2020 renewable volume obligations.

RFA’s comments highlight the fact that the Clean Air Act requires EPA to “ensure” that the RFS volumes specified by Congress are fully enforced. By issuing dozens of small refinery exemptions and refusing to reallocate the lost volume, EPA has failed to comply with this legal obligation in recent years.

“The congressional intent is indisputable and unambiguous, and the law is clear,” according to RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Unfortunately, the EPA has forsaken the law in recent years by failing to ensure the congressionally directed renewable fuel volume requirements are enforced. EPA issued 85 retroactive small refinery exemptions for the 2016-2018 compliance years, undercutting the statutory renewable fuel volumes by a total of 4.04 billion gallons.”

While EPA’s supplemental proposal takes a step in the right direction, it doesn’t go far enough in ensuring that the congressional RFS volumes are fully enforced. “If past is prologue, EPA’s proposal could result in the 15-billion-gallon requirement sliding backward to a requirement for just 14.4 billion gallons in 2020,” according to the comments.

RFA said the agency can get the RFS back on track and uphold President Trump’s commitment to farmers by fully redistributing renewable fuel blending requirements that are waived due to small refinery exemptions.

“We strongly urge EPA to ensure the law is upheld and the president’s commitment is honored,” the comments state. “This can only be achieved if EPA finalizes an approach that uses the three-year average of actual exempted volumes—not the three-year average of the Department of Energy’s recommendations—as the basis for projecting exemptions in 2020 and beyond.”

The comments also underscore the devastating impacts of SREs on the renewable fuels industry. “It is an undeniable fact that the surge in SREs has caused demand loss and economic hardship for U.S. ethanol producers,” Cooper wrote. “At least 20 ethanol plants have been temporarily idled or permanently closed since early 2018 when EPA began to massively expand the volume of SREs.”

Adopting a redistribution methodology based on the three-year average of actual exemptions would help "stop the bleeding” and get ethanol producers back on their feet after one of the worst years in the industry’s history, Cooper said.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 11/22/2019

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending Nov. 22, ethanol production increased 26,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 2.5%, to 1.059 million b/d—equivalent to 44.48 million gallons daily. The four-week average ethanol production rate rose by 1.4% to 1.034 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.85 billion gallons, but was still 2.1% lower than the year-ago level.

Ethanol stocks shrank an additional 1.2% to 20.3 million barrels, the lowest volume since January 2017. Inventories were 11.6% lower than the same week last year. Stocks declined in all regions except the Gulf Coast (PADD3) and Rocky Mountains (PADD 4).

Imports of ethanol arriving into the West Coast were 36,000 b/d, or 10.58 million gallons for the week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of September 2019.)

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market ticked 0.1% higher to 9.204 million b/d (386.6 million gallons per day, or 141.10 bg annualized). Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol also increased 0.1% to 930,000 b/d—equivalent to 14.26 bg annualized.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production increased to 11.51%.



USMEF Statement on European Parliament's Approval of U.S.-EU Beef Access Agreement

On Nov. 28, the European Parliament voted to approve a plan granting the United States a country-specific share of the European Union's duty-free high-quality beef quota. The agreement, which was signed and announced in August, is detailed in this press release from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued the following statement:
Approval by the European Parliament keeps this agreement on track for implementation in early 2020, which is outstanding news for the U.S. beef industry and our customers in Europe. Lack of capacity in the duty-free quota has been a source of frustration on both sides of the Atlantic, and a U.S.-specific share of the quota will help ensure that U.S. beef can enter the European market 52 weeks per year, without delay or interruption.

The European Union is one of the highest value destinations in the world for U.S. beef, and consistent access will not only benefit U.S. producers and exporters, but also European importers and their clientele. USMEF thanks USTR and USDA for negotiating this agreement and securing its approval, which will bolster the U.S. industry's efforts to expand the European customer base for U.S. beef.



Fertilizer Prices Continue Lower

Retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the third week of November 2019 continued mostly lower. This lower trend in prices has been in place for several months now.
Potash prices tracked by DTN continue to move lower. A fertilizer stock analyst says supplier inventories are high but strong demand will speed usage. (DTN Chart)

Seven of the eight major fertilizers were lower in price from the month earlier, although once again none were considerably lower. DAP had an average price of $456/ton, MAP $466/ton, potash $381/ton, urea $387/ton, anhydrous $496/ton, UAN28 $245/ton and UAN32 $284/ton.

The remaining fertilizer, 10-34-0, was slightly higher from last month with an average price of $472/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.42/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.44/lb.N and UAN32 $0.44/lb.N.

Retail fertilizers are mixed in price from a year ago. MAP is now 12% less expensive, DAP is 9% lower, urea is 5% less expensive, anhydrous is 4% lower and both UAN28 and UAN32 are 1% less expensive from last year at this time. In addition, 10-34-0 is 3% more expensive and potash is 4% higher compared to last year.



Deere Announces Net Income of $3.253 Billion for Year

Deere & Company reported net income of $722 million for the fourth quarter ended November 3, 2019, or $2.27 per share, compared with net income of $785 million, or $2.42 per share, for the quarter ended October 28, 2018. For fiscal 2019, net income attributable to Deere & Company was $3.253 billion, or $10.15 per share, compared with $2.368 billion, or $7.24 per share, in 2018.

Worldwide net sales and revenues increased 5 percent in both the fourth quarter and full year of 2019 to $9.896 billion and $39.258 billion, for the respective periods. Net sales of the equipment operations were $8.703 billion for the quarter and $34.886 billion for the year, compared with respective totals of $8.343 billion and $33.351 billion in 2018.

"John Deere's performance reflected continued uncertainties in the agricultural sector," said John C. May, chief executive officer. "Lingering trade tensions coupled with a year of difficult growing and harvesting conditions have caused many farmers to become cautious about making major investments in new equipment. Additionally, financial services results have come under pressure due to operating-lease losses. At the same time, general economic conditions have remained favorable. This has supported demand for smaller equipment and led to solid results for Deere's construction and forestry business, which had a record year for sales and operating profit."

Company Outlook & Summary
Net income attributable to Deere & Company for fiscal 2020 is forecast to be in a range of $2.7 billion to $3.1 billion.

"Despite present challenges, the longer-term outlook for our businesses remains healthy and points to a promising future for Deere," May said. "We are particularly encouraged by the adoption of precision technologies and believe we are well-positioned to be a leader in the delivery of smarter, more efficient and sustainable solutions to our customers. At the same time, we are committed to the successful execution of our strategic plan and have initiated a series of measures to create a leaner organizational structure that can operate with more speed and agility. We're confident these steps will lead to improved efficiencies and help the company focus its resources and investments on areas that have the greatest impact on performance."



EPA's Wheeler Urges Americans to Fill Bellies, Not Landfills, this Thanksgiving

As America celebrates Thanksgiving this week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler reminds U.S. families and communities to be mindful about finishing, donating, or simply cutting back on the amount of food they prepare to help prevent food waste this holiday season.

“This week, millions of Americans will gather for Thanksgiving to share a traditional family meal,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “One way to act on the gratitude we feel this holiday season is to use food without waste. By wasting less and feeding people instead of filling landfills, we’re preserving our environment, caring for those less fortunate, and supporting our local communities.”

There are many ways to reduce food waste during the preparation and storage of meals. Just as we donate food before Thanksgiving, it can make sense to consider donating excess unopened or unused food afterwards as well to those in need. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2018, about over 37 million Americans money or lived in food insecure households (didn’t have enough food during the year to meet the needs of all their members). Additional information about how to reduce food waste at the source or donate excess food is below.

Thanksgiving Food Waste Reduction Prep Tips
-    Create your shopping list with your menu and number of guests in mind.
-    Shop your refrigerator and pantry first. Cook or eat what you already have at home before buying more.
-    Be mindful of ingredients and leftovers you will need to use. You’ll waste less and may even find a new favorite dish with your favorite Thanksgiving recipes.
-    Plan an “eat the leftovers” night after your big meal. Casseroles, stir-fries, frittatas, soups, and smoothies are great ways to use Thanksgiving ingredients and leftovers. Search for websites that provide suggestions for using leftover holiday ingredients.
-    Befriend your freezer. Freeze extra food such as bread, sliced fruit, or meat that you know you won’t be able to use or eat in time.
-    Consider donation of unused, non-perishable food items.

Food Recipient Organizations
If your organization hosted an event with excess prepared but unserved food, you may consider partnering with a food recipient organization. Remember to make arrangements in advance for potential drop-offs or pick-ups of excess food. The following sites contain tools that allow users to search for food banks, pantries, soup kitchens and shelters that may be interested in accepting wholesome, excess food:
-    Feeding America’s Find Your Local Foodbank has a map of Feeding America member food banks.
-    Food Pantries allows you to search food banks, pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.
-    AmpleHarvest.org allows you to search food pantries by zip code and shows the search results on an interactive map.
-    Homelessshelterdirectory.org allows you to search homeless shelters and services by city.
-    Find a Food Pantry allows you to search food pantries by zip code or address.

BACKGROUND

Facts about food waste:
-    EPA estimates that more food (over 76 billion pounds) reaches landfills and combustion facilities than any other material in everyday trash, constituting 22% of discarded municipal solid waste.
-    Landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States.
-    Food waste not only impacts landfill space and emissions, it hurts the economy. The USDA estimates the value of food available but not eaten at the retail and consumer level to be over $161 billion.
-    Food waste consumes 21% of all fresh water globally.

EPA’s Efforts:
In October 2018, EPA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the USDA signed a formal agreement to align efforts across the federal government to educate consumers, engage stakeholders, and develop and evaluate solutions to food loss and waste.

EPA has taken significant measures to highlight the need to reduce food waste nationally, including working with President Trump and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to successfully designate April 2019 as “Winning on Reducing Food Waste Month” in order to place more national attention on this important issue.

In April 2019, Administrator Wheeler and leadership from USDA and FDA convened a summit at EPA bringing state and local stakeholders together to form partnerships with leading food waste reduction non-governmental organizations. At this event, over 30 governmental organizations signed onto a new pledge in which state, local, tribal and territorial government organizations solidify interest in working with the federal government to continue to build upon existing efforts back home to reduce food loss and waste. Also at the summit, EPA announced $110,000 in funding for food waste management and infrastructure projects (to expand anaerobic digestion capacity) in Wisconsin, Vermont, and Washington. EPA also opened a Small Business Innovation Research Grants program solicitation in 2019, which included “preventing food waste” as a topic.