AMBER WAVES 10 V O L U M E 8 • I S S U E 3 Photos: Thinkstock & Photos: Thinkstock Wegmans E E R R U U T T A A E E F F Energy UseintheU.S.FoodSystem Energy An interview with the author is featured online at: www.ers.usda.gov/amberwaves/ Fuel forFood: [email protected] Patrick Canning A D S U / E C I V R E S H C R A E S E R C I M O N O C E

FEATURE

■■ In 2007, the U.S. food system accounted for almost 16 percent of the Nation’s energy budget.

■■ Between 1997 and 2002, over 80 percent of the increase in annual U.S. energy consumption was food related.

■■ Population growth, higher per capita food expenditures, and greater reliance on energy-using technologies boosted food-related energy consumption.

Energy is used throughout the U.S. food system. From the Examining U.S. Food System Energy Use 10 0 2 R E B M E T P E S manufacture and application of agricultural inputs, such as fertilizers Using a framework known as input-output material flow analy- and feed, to building and powering the machines that turn wheat sis, ERS researchers traced energy use by the U.S. food system, into bread and hogs into bacon, to making and running the toaster measuring the direct energy used to power machinery, as well as the and frying pan used by the consumer at home or by the short order “embodied” energy used in building and distributing the machinery. cook at the diner, energy fuels the U.S. food system. Thus, the fuel used to manufacture tractors and to run them on farms An ERS analysis of food system energy use indicates that, while was measured. Likewise, the ERS analysis accounts for the electricity total per capita U.S. energy consumption fell by 1 percent between to power the microwave oven in the home and the energy used to 11

2002 and 2007, food-related per capita energy use grew nearly 8 build and distribute the appliance to consumers. S E WAV R E B M A percent as the food industry relied on more energy-intensive tech- nologies to produce more food per capita for more people.

WWW.ERS.USDA.GOV/AMBERWAVES AMBER WAVES 12 V O L U M E 8 • I S S U E 3 E R U T A E F between between 1997 and 2002. use energy U.S. total in rise the percentof 80 over for accounted increase 2.6-qBtu This energy). (heat) thermal of measure standard unit—a thermal (British qBtu 14.1(qBtu) to Btu quadrillion 11.5 from grew system food U.S. the in use energy related energy use. Between 1997 and 2002, and the factors that sparked increased food- energy of users growing fastest or largest the discern to projections, 2007 the than output accounts from 1997 and 2002, rather input- benchmark survey-based the used Energy Use Three Factors Drive Increased percent in 2002. energy consumption in 2007, up from 14.4 U.S. total of percent 15.7 for accounted system food U.S. the that suggests counts ac input-output 2002 benchmark the on and 2007 in expenditures food and tion consump energy U.S. total on based use energy food-related of projection A 2002. total domestic energy use between 1997 and in increase of rate the times six morethan at grew system food U.S. the by use ergy en that show (BEA) Analysis Economic of Bureau Commerce’s U.S. of the Department from accounts input-output plate scraps in a garbage disposal. the grinding to food, the processing and flows ofthe entire food chain,from growing sis captures both direct and indirect energy and packaging materials. Energy flowanaly crates, shipping fertilizers, as such system, inputs to the food production and marketing also includes the energy embodied in other For greater accuracy, ERS researchers researchers ERS For accuracy, greater benchmark U.S. recent most two The framework analysis input-output The - - - - jump in food-related energy use: Quadrillion Btu 10 12 14 16 The U.S.foodsystemused2.56qBtumoreenergyin2002than1997 Source: USDA,Economic ResearchService. 0 2 4 6 8 • •

Populationgrowth accounted for 25 s b 2 percent 25 by use energy system also food U.S. boosted expenditures food Higher foodsystem up by 0.64 qBtu. frying pans, pushing energy used by the related items, ranging from fertilizers to increased production of food and food- means feed to mouths More period. 5-year the over percent) (5.1 million 14 thanpopulationmoreU.S. by grew versus20021997inenergy use food-related higher the of percent and fish, and a smaller proportion of proportion smaller a and fish, and used less energy, such as fresh produce tion (in real dollar terms) of foods that propor greater a included consumers U.S. to marketed commodities of mix the 2002, In data. BEA to according 2002, and 1997 between capita per percent 6.6 increased dollars, tion) infla for (adjusted real in consumers, measured U.S. to marketed food Three factors were responsible for the for were responsible factors Three Food systemenergyuse Growth inenergyuse, 1997 to2002,2.56 energy use, 11.54 1997 . The amount of amount The . . The . A D S U / E C I V R E S H C R A E S E R C I M O N O C E - - • blt o eeg ad ao ae major are labor and energy substitut of ability and costs relative the so gains, efficiency for look households increase. energy ed food-relat 1997-2002 the of half about for accounted technologies energy-intensive of more use The qBtu. 0.65 of use energy food-system total in increase net a in per capita to U.S. consumers, resulting marketed food in the increase substantial by accompanied was however, mix, changing This beef. and pork, vegetables, and fruit processed like commodities, energy-intensive more except pork. except groups, commodity food-related and energy- food all for occurred equipment using to labor human from A shift 2002. since been have they than volatile less far and lower were prices energy while faced costs, labor businesses increasing 2002, and 1997 used by the U.S. food system. Between energy of amount the of determinants expenditures, capitafood Greater per Population growth, 0.65 0.64 technologies, energy-using Higher 1.27 uiess and Businesses - - FEATURE

More households adopted labor-saving technologies to save time and effort on food preparation and cleanup. In 1985, 18 to 64 year olds spent an estimated average of 49 minutes on cooking and cleanup per day. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data indicate av- erage cooking and cleanup times per house- hold fell to 31 minutes per day in 2008. The share of U.S. households with en- ergy-using dishwashers, microwave ovens, and self-cleaning ovens increased substan- Courtesy of Rose Acre Farms tially between 1997 and 2005, providing

Modern, state-of-the-art hen houses are one example of the more evidence of an energy/labor tradeoff. 10 0 2 R E B M E T P E S shift from human labor to energy-using technologies common At the same time, the percentage of U.S. throughout the U.S. food system. households with two or more refrigerators increased from 15.2 percent in 1997 to 22.1 percent in 2005; there were 9.2 million more The egg industry illustrates the long- Households Are Biggest Energy households with two or more refrigerators term trend of substituting energy-intensive Users in the Food Chain . . . in 2005 than in 1997. technology for labor. High-technology, In 2002, U.S. households used 3.94 . . . But Food Processors Showed 13 energy-intensive hen houses, and more use qBtu of energy on food-related tasks—28 the Largest Increase S E WAV R E B M A of liquid, frozen, and dried egg products percent of total food system energy use. Although households used the most (instead of whole eggs) increased energy ERS research indicates that a typical U.S. food-related energy, food processing had the use per egg by 40 percent in 1997-2002. household would have used about a half largest growth in energy use between 1997 Processed egg products are widely used by million more Btu per person in 2002 than and 2002. Both households and foodser- the foodservice industry and by processors in 1997 for the same foods. vice establishments increasingly outsourced as ingredients in other foods, such as may- manual food preparation and cleanup to onnaise and baked goods. The story is much the same in kitchens across the country. Consumers are relying Energy use by food processors surpassed wholesale/retail energy use in 2002 on blenders and food processors instead of knives and chopping blocks, and self- Quadrillion Btu cleaning ovens have replaced EASY-OFF® 4.0 1997 2002 and elbow grease. Modern appliances, while 3.5 sometimes more energy efficient, still re- 3.0 quire energy to manufacture and operate. 2.5 ERS estimates that food-related home en- 2.0 1.5 ergy use increased by 3.9 percent per meal 1.0 between 1997 and 2002. 0.5 0 Agriculture Processing Packaging Trans- Wholesale Food- Households portation & retail service

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service.

WWW.ERS.USDA.GOV/AMBERWAVES AMBER WAVES 14 V O L U M E 8 • I S S U E 3 Kathy L. Lipton, USDA/ERS E R U T A E F added only 4,800 new food preparation preparation food new 4,800 only added industry foodmanufacturing the services, processing for demand growing dustry’s and 2000. 1996 between 16,000 about by declined preparation jobs in thefood foodservice of industry number The manufacturers. by foods that require more processing services ready-to-heat ing soups, entrees,otherand purchas are and convenience for looking products since 2001. food packaged new on claims 10 top the among ranked have “quick” and serving” “Single households. done by be otherwise by services a processor, that services would preparation and processing more involve that foods convenience more demanded in 1997. used 2.67 qBtu of energy, up from 1.79 qBtu processors food 2002, In manufacturers. To accommodate the foodservice in foodservice the Toaccommodate are also establishments Foodservice have consumers 1990s, late the Since - - carrots, previously done in homes and foodservice kitchens.on more of the food preparation tasks,Foodprocessors such had as the peelinglargest growth andin energy shreddinguse as they took Foodservice Establishments Had of energy in the food system. place behind households as the largest user second into moving industry, sale/retail whole the surpassed industry processing food the result, a As annually. person per ofgasoline gallons 24 lentadditional ofan equiva heat the energy person, or roughly per Btu million 2.7 to amounted increase any other segment of the food This system. ied) grew 49 percent, a larger increase than processors’(directuse embodandenergy food 2002, and 1997 Between sumption. jobs but substantially increased energy con energy use increased energy 47 percent—the heat industry 19972002, and between services preparation food its of much outsourced Energy but Not All Industries Used More Big Jump in Energy Use, Too, Survey, Energy Information Administration, U.S. ofDepartment Energy. USDA, Source: Economic Research usingService data from the Residential Energy Consumption NA = not available. 2005 2001 1997 1993 2005 2001 1997 1993 Year In 22 2005, percent of U.S. households had two or more refrigerators Although the foodservice industry industry foodservice the Although Dishwasher 58.2 45.2 53.0 50.9 43.7 56.7 64.7 50.1 Microwave A D S U / E C I V R E S H C R A E S E R C I M O N O C E Percent of total households - - - - oven 84.2 84.2 83.0 86.1 92.1 81.3 87.9 97.7 Million housing units use over the 5-year period. groupstry in increased food-related energy fourth among the seven food system indus ranked 1997.Agriculture in percent 14.0 rose to 14.4 percent in 2002, up slightly from rect and embodied energy use by agriculture moderate. The share of total food-relateddi ply changes chain, in energy use were more increased to 546,000. number this 1997.2008, By from percent 7 up States, United the in operated ments 479,000 food and beverage service establish 2002, In byfoodusethe to energy system. buildings to light, heat, and cool—has added and run, to kitchens new manufacture, to equipment renovate, or construct to ings coffee shopsand eating places—with build of proliferation The person. per gasoline of 16 gallons roughly of equivalent energy At other points along the U.S. food sup Self-cleaning oven 48.2 62.9 56.6 44.0 45.0 44.7 NA NA refrigerators Two or more 24.6 15.2 16.9 22.1 15.4 14.9 14.4 18.1

- - - - - FEATURE 10 0 2 R E B M E T P E S The roof of the Hannaford Supermarkets store in Augusta, ME,

features a large array of solar panels, reducing the amount of Gordon Chibroski, courtesy of Hannaford Supermarkets utility power purchased each year by about 50,000 kilowatts. example, and labor costs and the availability of time for home food preparation do not Packaging and freight services are en- Future Trends Hard To Predict change, companies and households will explore opportunities to trade off the now- ergy intensive but still use considerably less 15 The ERS energy flow analysis looked more-expensive energy for less costly labor

energy than other food system industries. S E WAV R E B M A at three distinct points in time (1997, 2002, and time and will seek opportunities to use Energy use by packaging and freight ser- and 2007); the results cannot be used to vice firms over the 5 years increased 22 and energy more efficiently. determine a pattern or trend in food-related Consumer attitudes about energy 24 percent, respectively. The trend toward energy use. Many factors can and will affect fewer and larger farms and processing plants conservation can also alter the outlook for energy use by the food system. Adjustments the level and direction of future U.S. food led to greater use of freight services and sub- in how Americans spend their food dol- stantial increases in the average distance system energy use. For some consumers, lars, for example, could reduce future food- knowledge of the energy flows associated per domestic shipment of all foods between related energy use. 1997 and 2002. Longer average shipping with different food choices may influence Based on 2002 energy technologies, if food purchase decisions. As this segment of distances translate to more transportation households choose to substitute a portion fuel per unit of food. consumers grows, so, too, will its impact on of their at-home meat and egg consump- the food system’s energy use. In contrast to all the other food-related tion with expanded fish and fresh vegetable industries, energy use by wholesalers and re- consumption, for example, there could tailers declined over the period. Foodservice be substantial savings in energy usage. This article is drawn from . . . industry growth may have cut into the de- However, the energy savings would be less mand for retail services. At the same time, if the commercial fishing industry and/or Energy Use in the U.S. Food System, by rapid consolidation of grocery store chains the fresh vegetable industry relied on more Patrick Canning, Ainsley Charles, Sonya Huang, Karen R. Polenske, in 1997-2002, resulting in fewer stores with energy-intensive methods to meet a large larger square footage of retail space, coupled and Arnold Waters, ERR-94, USDA, increase in expenditures on fish and fresh Economic Research Service, March with more energy-efficient lighting, heat- vegetables by U.S. households. 2010, available at: www.ers.usda.gov/ ing, and cooling equipment, also may have Prices are often the most direct influ- publications/err94/ contributed to declining energy use by food ence on consumer purchases and produc- retailers. ers’ practices. If energy prices increase, for

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