The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) is committed to reducing our environmental footprint, while never compromising the quality care and services provided to Minnesota’s Veterans.

Last year, MDVA received funding from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) through a competitive grant program focused on preventing wasted food in the Minnesota Veterans Homes. Wasted food is a focus for the MPCA because the food system (growing, harvesting, transporting and processing) is responsible for up to 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

In the Minnesota Veterans Homes, wasted food is food that was prepared with the intent being eaten by a Resident, but instead was not eaten and thrown away. In 2022, MDVA will begin rolling out a program in all Minnesota Veterans Homes to reduce wasted food by using iPads to take Resident meal orders through the patient care software. By taking orders, MDVA will collect more accurate counts for the number of meals that need to be prepared, reducing the overproduction of food. The application also tracks meal preferences and meal popularity indexes, which will assist with scaling down recipe production amounts and food ordered. Most importantly, taking individual orders is anticipated to expand the availability of food options and enhance the dining experience for our Residents.

Long term, MDVA hopes this program will reduce wasted food by 50 to 80%, which would prevent the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as those from eight to 12 vehicles per year!

MDVA’s Strategic Plan includes a goal of being an exemplary steward of natural resources and per executive order, MDVA needs to make progress toward sustainability goals. Check out our progress here. Preventing wasted food in the Minnesota Veterans Homes is just one of many programs at MDVA to support these goals.