The Emergence of a Food-Waste-Based Commodity Frontier in the United States

Abstract

The article documents the emergence of a food-waste-based commodity frontier in the United States that completes a process of food commodification from cradle to grave. Evidence is drawn from two contemporary trends: the introduction of a profit motive into surplus food rescue activities and the development of new municipal curbside composting programs. The language and theory of commodity frontiers are used to explore observed patterns and inform potential future evolution of each trend. The article contributes to the development of a theory of waste-based commodity frontiers in highly-formalized and well-capitalized contexts like the United States.