As part of a growing movement to tackle on-farm food loss and improve profitability through data-driven collaboration, members of the U.S. Food Waste Pact gathered recently for a hands-on field day. The event took place at GoodFarms in Moss Landing, California, and was hosted in partnership with the Western Growers Association (WGA).
More than just a farm tour, this visit brought together growers with retailers, foodservice companies, and supply chain partners for a rare opportunity: walk the rows of a strawberry farm, taking a close look at the edible surplus left behind on many such farms; witness GoodFarm’s excellent loss reduction practices; share common challenges; and discuss practical solutions to reduce on-farm food loss—starting right in the field.
The U.S. Food Waste Pact is a voluntary agreement for businesses to set targets and take action towards their food waste reduction goals. Co-led by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and ReFED, a U.S.-based nonprofit working to catalyze the food system toward evidence-based action to stop wasting food, the Pact brings businesses together from every sector to work towards whole chain solutions to food waste.
At the heart of the day was a demonstration of the Global Farm Loss Tool (GFLT)—a practical resource for measuring in-field loss, understanding the different types of loss, and therefore opportunities to utilize more of what’s grown in the field. Attendees saw first hand how the GFLT worked by harvesting edible loss that was left in one furrow, compared to the rest of the farm that was harvested using a technique known as “culling,” which concurrently harvests products that are defined as juice/processing grade and Grade 1 fresh. (Juice/processing, or Grade 2 are typically product with less-than-ideal standards compared to Grade 1 fresh.) The GFLT demo showed the effectiveness of the GoodFarms culling program—reducing loss to under 1%, compared to an 18% loss rate in the unculled row.
GoodFarms discussed how its framework of labor equity has not only led to greater retention of the local workforce but also increased willingness and motivation to keep the strawberry plants clean by culling all berries for the processing market that are not in spec for the fresh market—getting more of the harvest to people to eat as intended. Other indirect benefits outside of a stronger workforce include cleaner furrows, which lead to reduced pest pressure and healthier strawberry plants that are able to produce for longer.
After walking the fields, attendees toured the packaging room and saw how GoodFarms uses a top seal (a plastic film sealed over top of the strawberry carton), which has reduced plastic use by 27% for two-pound clamshells and by 15% for one-pound clamshells.
Farm visits like this one are critical. They break down silos between producers and buyers, fostering transparency and trust. Hearing directly from growers like Juan Montanez, Field Manager at GoodFarms, and Amalia Lommel, Director of Social Responsibility at GoodFarms, participants gained a firsthand understanding of the decisions and conditions that contribute to in-field loss. From managing furrow cleanliness, and labor crew comradery, to meeting buyer specifications, Juan’s insights underscored how efforts to fully utilize the harvest and keep loss levels at bay need to be nuanced and interconnected. By seeing loss not as waste, but as untapped opportunity, the tool empowers growers and buyers to act together.
For GoodFarms, whose mission is to "improve lives from farm to table," these efforts align perfectly with their sustainable farming practices—organic and conventional strawberries grown with drip irrigation, crop rotation, composting, water recycling, and a deep investment in worker well-being. Their high workforce retention speaks to the strength of their approach, and its potential as a model for others.
Reducing farm-level food loss is more than a sustainability goal—it’s a triple win:
Growers keep more value on the farm by more fully utilizing the harvest and reducing the need for inputs such as pesticides;
Buyers gain access to quality surplus at competitive prices by finding channels for edible product that would otherwise be left behind; and
The planet benefits through reduced resource use and better food utilization, ensuring product gets to humans and is not left in the fields to rot.
As the field day demonstrated, meaningful progress starts with simple, powerful actions: walking the farm, listening to growers, and measuring what matters. This is not measuring for academic purposes, it’s measuring to find alternative market channels and to prepare the food value chain for future disruptions.
With continued collaboration between growers, buyers, and organizations like WGA, ReFED and WWF, it is possible to break down communication barriers, share data, and create business opportunities that make it possible for harvests to be fully utilized, generate profits, and leave nothing to waste.
This article originally appeared here.