Food Asset Mapping

Description

From Stockton attachment

General Project Description: This project will consist of two phases. The first phase will represent the development of a New Jersey “Food Asset Inventory” and the second phase will use inventory data to develop an interactive GIS “Food Asset Map.” Most descriptively, the project will utilize State data to replicate, expand and enhance USEPA’s Excess Food Opportunities database and GIS mapping tool.

Under Phase I, multiple sets of statewide data will be assembled on both food waste generators (Food Waste Generators or FWG), as well as the network of food rescue organizations (Food “Waste” Sending Sites, or FWSS).

Phase II of the project, once comprehensive inventory data has been assembled, analyzed for accuracy and prepared geo-spatially, will involve GIS mapping. The net result at the end of the project will be a New Jersey specific Interactive Food Asset Map. The GIS platform will be developed for transfer to the NJDEP’s Bureau of Geographic Information Systems as the central repository for the State.

Problem Statement

New Jersey currently lacks an accurate statewide inventory of generators and users of excess food.
See more at Stockton attachment page 4.

The wasting of food is not only costly to consumers, it has negative environmental impacts due to the enormous use of natural resources expended in getting food from seed to table. Large amounts of greenhouse gases are emitted in the farming, transporting, manufacturing, and disposing of food that is wasted. To produce food that is never consumed causes the useless expenditure of cropland, water, fertilizer, pesticides, labor, and energy. To help manage this problemt a GIS app will be created to help manage the distribution of left over, but useable food from institutional food generators to food pantries and other food rescue missions.

Project Justification

P.L. 2017, c. 136 (S3027) was signed into law on July 21, 2017 and established a goal of reducing the amount of food waste generated annually in the State by 50 percent of the amount generated in 2017, by the year 2030. To achieve this goal, NJDEP and NJDOA, was tasked with developing and implementing a food waste reduction plan to achieve the legislative goal.

Estimated Transactions

None

Components

GIS

Target Rollout Date

None

Target Rollout Date Reason

None

Attachments

Activity

Knute Jensen (Knute.Jensen@dep.nj.gov) 17 October 2025, 12:57

the program finalized the contract with Data Axle and DSWM is actively working with BGIS to complete the interactive map.

Knute Jensen 14 January 2025, 22:46

in discussions with DEPs OTPLA and the lawyers for Data Axle on an agreement that will enable DEP to utilize the company’s data on our proposed interactive map.

Knute Jensen 18 May 2023, 16:23

last email communications from 12/1/22 are attached.

Knute Jensen 1 December 2022, 15:59

DOIT is catching up to some previous planning meetings it was not a part of. We will seek to clarify the scope of DEP’s immediate and ongoing responsibilities as part of the project.