National non-profit Chefs Collaborative, Cambridge, Mass., announced its new What Waste initiative to transform the conversation about food waste from problem to solutions.

“What Waste is our call-to-action in reframing the food waste conversation from problem to solution, as chefs lead by example in demonstrating what is possible,” says Holly Haddad, executive director. “We look forward to continuing our collaborative work with the farmers and fishermen/women who produce our food, the chefs who champion sustainability in their daily operations, the organizations transforming what we think of as surplus or waste into productive uses and all eaters who are eager to learn how they can play a critical part.”

In partnership with the Whole Crop Harvest program at North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, N.C., Chefs Collaborative will engage in a 2-year research and education project focused on working with farmers and others downstream in the supply chain to combat produce loss on the farm.

“The Whole Crop Harvest project team at NCSU is pleased to have Chefs Collaborative as a partner in working across the chain, from farm to foodservice, to use more of the fruits and vegetables left in the field or packing house because of shape or surface scarring or simple oversupply in the marketplace,” says Rebecca Dunning, project lead and research assistant professor at NCSU. “Our goal is to make more efficient use of the natural resources and purchased inputs the farmer already has invested in the crop.”