2017 ASHS Annual Conference

In the US, 40% of food that is produced never reaches the consumer. However, losses at the farm level are overlooked in research and reporting, making that a low estimate. In vegetable production, edible crops of high quality may be left unharvested because of a variety of market factors. Without a baseline measurement of losses at the field level, reducing losses to meet the USDA’s and EPA’s joint goal of reducing food waste by 2030 would be impossible. The aim of this project is to understand why edible vegetables are left unharvested, determine what volume is available for recovery, and pilot a potential farm level solution. As the production management aspect of this issue only scratches the surface, an interdisciplinary approach is allowing for quantitative and qualitative studies to come together to inform a solution. Grower interviews and surveys designed to uncover decision making practices and identify barriers to utilization of the entire crop are key to meeting this objective. A protocol for field measurement has been developed to determine the volume of produce left in the field for a variety of crops, and will be made available to growers. A major barrier to utilization has been identified as the harvest costs, therefore the solution in pursuit is a low-tech mechanized harvest-aid that makes a last-over harvest more efficient, and may make it more profitable. Qualitative results indicated growers have mixed opinions on utilizing the currently unharvested crops, as they are concerned about the price of quality vegetables dropping. Preliminary field measurement results taken over five cucumber fields in 2016 revealed 12,846 pounds were edible but unharvested per acre. Cucumber has limited processing options and a moderate shelf life. With 5,300 acres in North Carolina planted in cucumber production, the available amount for recovery could be over 68 million pounds. In contrast, sweetpotato which has an active processing market and a long storage capability had a much smaller amount of 4,081 pounds that was left unharvested per acre. This is NC’s largest crop with 64,000 acres, meaning over 261 million pounds could be available. Reducing these losses could have a triple bottom line impact, improving growers’ profits, making more efficient use of resources, and increasing the food supply available to fight food insecurity. Additionally, yields could be increased without increasing inputs, making reducing losses of fruit and vegetable crops a potential means to sustainable intensification of agriculture in the US.