Field measurement in vegetable crops indicates need for reevaluation of on-farm food loss estimates in North America

Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2017: $219,971.00
Projected End Date: 09/30/2020
Grant Recipient: North Carolina State University
Region: Southern
State: North Carolina
Principal Investigator:
Rebecca Dunning
North Carolina State University Horticulture
Description:
The available estimates of edible produce lost in the field are based on assumptions and estimates, rather than field data. This article discusses the authors field measurements of 68 fields of 8 vegetable crops on nine North Carolina farms during the 2017 production season, using a sampling and scaling method, to estimate loss. Combining the unharvested crops of marketable quality and edible but not marketable quality (edible but not meeting appearance quality standards) the average produce volume after primary harvest was 42% of the harvested and sold volume.
Type:
Peer-reviewed Journal Article
File:
Authors:
Lisa Johnson, NCSU
Rebecca Dunning, NCSU
Chris Gunter, NCSU
Dara Bloom, NCSU
Michael Boyette, NCSU
Nancy Creamer, NCSU
Target audiences:
Farmers/Ranchers; Educators; Researchers
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.