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ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
ASSEMBLY LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
ASSEMBLY TASK FORCE ON FOOD, FARM, AND NUTRITION POLICY

NOTICE OF ROUNDTABLE

SUBJECT:
Waste Reduction, Food Donation, and Materials Recovery at State and Local Government Food Service Operations

PURPOSE:
To examine current best practices and programs to optimize procurement, promote sustainability, manage excess, and reduce waste from state and local government food service operations, including food donation and recovery, and other alternative uses of organic or inorganic residual materials and to solicit feedback on the proposed "State and Local Government Food Waste Reduction Act."

Thursday, November 13, 2014
1:00 - 3:30 P.M.
Room 104-A
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY

Monday, November 24, 2014
1:00 - 3:30 P.M.
Room 1923
250 Broadway
New York, NY

Participation by Invitation Only

This roundtable will explore current best practices and programs to optimize procurement, promote sustainability, manage excess, and reduce organic and non-organic waste from government-operated and contracted food service operations. The discussion will include programs and practices that maximize food donation and recovery, and other alternative uses of organic or inorganic materials-as well as any challenges that must be overcome in order to minimize waste. It will include discussion of the bill, A.9959A, establishing the "State and Local Government Food Waste Reduction Act," which would require that food service facilities operated or contracted by state agencies and authorities, local governments, or school districts use such practices and programs to the greatest extent feasible. It will also explore ways organic waste reduction practices might affect efforts to divert other materials from disposal, such as food service ware. The roundtable will convene participants with varied expertise in waste reduction, food donation, organics recovery, and service ware management.

Persons invited to participate at the above roundtable should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation. In order to further publicize this roundtable, please inform interested parties and organizations of this upcoming roundtable discussion.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

Robert Sweeney, Chair
Committee on Environmental Conservation

Brian Kavanagh, Chair
Legislative Commission on Government Administration

William Magee, Chair
Committee on Agriculture

Ellen Jaffee, Chair
Task Force on Food, Farm, and Nutrition Policy