| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 77.34 |
| Liaison | Sally DeLeon |
| Submission Date | Feb. 27, 2022 |
University of Maryland, College Park
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.39 / 6.00 |
Allison
Lilly Assistant Director, New Initiatives Dining Services |
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced:
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on plant-based foods:
An inventory of food and beverage purchases that qualify as sustainably/ethically produced:
A brief description of the methodology used to conduct the inventory, including the timeframe and how representative samples accounted for seasonal variation (if applicable):
Staff from the Office of Sustainability and Dining Services compiled information for the report with data representing all food purchased between January 1st, 2021 to December 31st, 2021. Data was pulled from the Dining Service database which contains procurement from UMD's main distributors as well as other suppliers, including UMD's on-campus TerpFarm and Wye Angus herd. Work from student interns supported the completion of the report. Sustainability standards were verified using purchasing invoices.
Website URL where the institution’s validated Real/Good Food Calculator results are publicly posted:
Which of the following food service providers are present on campus and included in the inventory/assessment?:
| Present? | Included? | |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by the institution | Yes | Yes |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by a contractor | No | No |
| Student-run food/catering services | Yes | No |
| Franchises (e.g., regional or global brands) | Yes | No |
| Convenience stores | Yes | No |
| Vending services | Yes | No |
| Concessions | Yes | No |
Total annual dining services budget for food and beverage products:
A brief description of the institution’s sustainable food and beverage purchasing program:
UMD Dining Services formed a Sustainable Food Committee with the endorsement of the University Sustainability Council to advise the department in the development of sustainable goals and strategies. Through an ongoing and collaborative process with the Committee, UMD Dining Services committed to promoting sustainable food at the University of Maryland and to meet the following benchmarks:
1) 1-4% annual increase in sustainable foods purchases (meeting the criteria identified for sustainable food categories including local, fair, humane, and ecologically sound) based on financial feasibility and product availability
2) Annual, incremental increases in sourcing from local growers, with special emphasis on Maryland growers and harvesters
3) Annual, incremental increases in sourcing unprocessed, whole foods
4) 20% sustainable food by 2020 (achieved in 2014 using UMD's criteria which include local and sustainably-sourced foods in addition to those accounted for in STARS 2.1)
Overall, there are four primary objectives for the sustainable food program at UMD Dining Services:
1) UMD Dining Services mitigates environmental impact by using local and sustainable food sources
2) UMD Dining Services leverages buying power to encourage availability of healthier food choices
3) Changes in healthy food availability and promotion increases UMD community health and wellness
4) UMD Dining Services promotes community engagement and education about sustainable food issues
Website URL where information about the food and beverage purchasing program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.