While there are many uncertainties surrounding the policies of the new administration after last week’s election, we at ReFED are confident that the following remains true—food waste is a nonpartisan issue, and we can all agree that throwing out perfectly good food doesn’t benefit anyone.

Since the beginning, ReFED has been committed to cultivating and convening the entire food community under our “big tent,” where we work to increase adoption of food waste solutions across the supply chain. Regardless of which side of the aisle you sit on, there’s room for everyone. And that’s a good thing, because we need collaboration and cooperation to create a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food system that makes the best use of the food we grow. We’re all connected to the food system, which means we all have a role to play in reducing food waste. And we can’t afford to slow down—we’re not on track to meet the 2030 commitment to halve food loss and waste, so it’s critical to keep moving full steam ahead.

As we think about what lies ahead in regard to food waste policy, a few thoughts come to mind:

• Given the significant potential for food waste reduction to help offset high food prices, we expect the new administration may be quite interested to pursue it. In fact, the last Trump administration launched a “Winning on Reducing Food Waste” initiative, indicating there could likely be support for the topic.

• Over the years, both political parties have supported legislation at the federal and state levels to help reduce the amount of food going to waste throughout the food system. The first hearing on the topic was hosted by a Republican-led House Ag Committee, and earlier this year, the USDA, EPA, and FDA under the Biden administration released the nation’s first National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics. We see no reason that this would change.

• Individual states have also advanced a strong slate of food waste legislation, including date labeling, organic waste bans, and funding for food waste reduction—and we expect this momentum to continue. While there may be an opportunity to include food loss and waste in the upcoming Farm Bill, state and local action have so far proven to be quicker ways to get things done.

At ReFED, we will continue to do what we’ve always done—leading with best-in-class data and insights, fostering connections and collaborations, and enabling action to reduce food loss and waste. We invite you to join us under the big tent, where we’re always looking for new ideas and opportunities to advance our mission to catalyze the food system toward evidence-based action to stop wasting food.

To learn more about food waste policy, check out our Policy Finder. To stay up-to-date on all things ReFED and food waste, sign up for our mailing list.