Food surplus and waste occur along the whole food supply chain, from farm to fork, with food waste at farm level being particularly difficult to quantify. At an industry level, food surplus and waste on farms across the United Kingdom is estimated at 3.6 million tonnes, amounting to a worth of £1.2 billion.
This report presents an assessment of the financial implications for individuals farms of acting on food surplus and waste. It targets farmers and growers as well as stakeholders engaging with farmers such as agronomists and technical teams working with farms. Research has been centred around five main agri-food sub-sectors: apples, strawberries, potatoes, carrots and eggs. Modelled on standard industry data and validated by leading industry figures, the analysis shows a potential 20% increase in profits for farm enterprises if food surplus and waste is reduced to the minimum reported rates.