00:00Food waste is a major issue in the United States, and it's hurting the environment.
00:05According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one-third of produce from farmers goes uneaten.
00:10That's where startups like Hungry Harvest and Imperfect Produce come in.
00:14They buy excess and not-so-pretty produce from growers and wholesalers who can't sell it to supermarkets
00:19and sell it for cheaper than the grocery store.
00:22But are these companies really helping the environment?
00:24Imperfect Produce claims to have saved 30 million pounds of food in the last three years,
00:29and Hungry Harvest says they eliminate at least 10 pounds of food waste with every delivery.
00:33But crop scientist Sarah Tabor told Box Ugly Produce goes to restaurants and to feed farm animals.
00:39It can also be sold to canned and processed food companies or donated to food banks.
00:43But these companies claim most of it was headed for landfills.
00:47While they may be well-intentioned, experts say they may be encouraging overproduction.
00:51Eric Holt Jimenez, executive director of Food First, wrote in an op-ed for the new food economy that,
00:57quote, this is a way to capitalize on overproduction and increase the flow of waste.
01:03People may also be choosing these companies over local growers or community-sponsored agricultural programs.
01:08That being said, ugly produce companies do help farmers and change consumer perspective.
01:12But experts say America's entire food system needs an overhaul to reduce waste.
01:17Even if this is a way to capitalize on only a lay of ģ Jory's own,
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