No Food Left Behind, Part 2: A Tale of Two Markets: A Model for Working Together to Fully Utilize the Surplus

The second report in the No Food Left Behind series looks at crops grown for the processing market—frozen, canned, and pickled—and the drivers for waste in this market. The report compares losses in the processing crop market to those in the fresh market, detailed in the first report.

The report examines five processing crops to see where and how loss occurs: sweet corn, blueberries, green beans, cucumbers, and green peas. Most loss in the processing market happens during processing, as opposed to the fresh market where most loss happens in-field. While more research is needed, initial estimates point to less waste in processing crops overall due to the higher quality standards of the fresh market, mechanical harvesting of processing crops, and vertical integration in the processed market—contracts ensuring that almost all harvested product is sold.