From Waste to Worth: Framing the Solution of Upcycled Food

From Waste to Worth: Framing the Solution of Upcycled Food

Food waste is one of the world’s most urgent - and solvable - problems. In this Upcycled Food Month webinar, we’ll break down the numbers of global food waste with industry and academic experts in environmental, economic, and social impacts, and spotlight how innovative upcycling strategies are turning waste into opportunity. Whether you're a brand, supplier, or changemaker, this is your chance to be part of the solution.

Meet the Speakers: 

Mary Muth, Senior Fellow, National Center for Food & Agricultural Policy

Mary K. Muth is a food and agricultural economist focusing on food demand, consumption, and pricing; food labeling; food loss and waste; food safety; nutrition; and related topics. Most recently, she was a Senior Economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, and previously was Senior Director, Food Economics & Policy at RTI International. Her work on food waste focuses on measuring food loss and waste and assessing the cost-effectiveness of interventions. She has published several papers and research reports on developing measures of food loss and waste at the national level, estimating the environmental effects of food loss and waste, and comparing the cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce food loss and waste. She also co-authored a book chapter on the economics of food loss and waste in A Modern Guide to Food Economics.  

Dr. Jill Waity, Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Dr. Jill Waity is Professor of Sociology and Chair of the Sociology and Criminology Department at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Jill earned her PhD in Sociology with a minor in Public Policy from Indiana University Bloomington. She has been at UNCW since 2013. Her research focuses on food access, food and nutrition security, spatial inequality, and community-engaged methodologies. 

Keith Weitz, Environmental Scientist - RTI International

Keith Weitz is director of RTI International’s Sustainable Resource Management Program. Keith has more than 32 years of experience in the solid waste sector and leads projects in circular economy and sustainability with public, private and international entities to characterize the cost, environmental and social aspects of materials management and circular economy alternatives for targeted materials. Mr. Weitz holds a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University (1992) and a B.A. in Economics and Business Administration from Augustana College (1990).

As newly appointed CEO of Upcycled Food Association (UFA) Amanda Oenbring brings a wealth of experience in community collaboration, climate philanthropy, and global movement building, previously scaling international membership at 1% for the Planet and leading environmental nonprofit network expansion at EarthShare. She found the perfect blend of her interests in business, sustainability and food via an MBA in Sustainable Systems and a Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems Certificate from Bainbridge Graduate Institute (now Presidio Center at University of Redlands) having previously completed her B.A. in Communication Studies at Westmont College.