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Jean C . Buzby

USDA, Office of the Chief Economist, USDA Food Loss and Waste Liaison

USDA Economic Research Service, USDA, USDA Food Loss and Waste Liaison

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I have worked either directly or indirectly for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (USDA/ERS) for over 25 years. I am currently on detail to USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist as the USDA Food Loss and Waste Liaison. Most recently, as part of a USDA/EPA interagency collaboration, I was on a six-month detail at the Environmental Protection Agency as a Senior Policy Analyst.
Phone: 202 694-5370
Address: USDA/ Economic Research Service
1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mail Stop 1800
Washington, DC 20250-1800

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Papers by Jean C . Buzby

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Food Consumption and Disease Risk, 2006

ERS Updates U.S. Foodborne Disease Costs for Seven Pathogens

athogens are disease-causing microorganisms that include bacteria, fungi, parasites, and Calculat... more athogens are disease-causing microorganisms that include bacteria, fungi, parasites, and Calculating the Costs of Foodborne Illness The cost-of-illness estimates are calculated from the number of annual foodborne-illness cases and deaths caused by the seven foodborne illnesses described in this arti-FoodReview 20

Economic Assessment of Food Safety Regulations: The New Approach to Meat and Poultry Inspection

Agricultural Economics Reports, 1997

USDA is now requiring all Federally inspected meat and poultry processing and slaughter plants to... more USDA is now requiring all Federally inspected meat and poultry processing and slaughter plants to implement a new system called Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) to reduce potentially harmful microbial pathogens in the food supply. This report finds that the benefits of the new regulations, which are the medical costs and productivity losses that are prevented when foodborne illnesses are averted, will likely exceed the costs, which include spending by firms on sanitation, temperature control, planning and training, and testing. Other, nonregulatory approaches can also improve food safety, such as providing market incentives for pathogen reduction, irradiation, and education and labeling to promote safe food handling and thorough cooking.

Economic costs and trade impacts of microbial foodborne illness

World health statistics quarterly. Rapport trimestriel de statistiques sanitaires mondiales, 1997

This article presents the economic costs of foodborne diseases for selected countries, the approa... more This article presents the economic costs of foodborne diseases for selected countries, the approaches used to calculate these costs, and a discussion on the interaction between microbial food safety issues and international trade in food. The human illness costs due to foodborne pathogens are estimated most completely in the United States of America, where, each year, 7 foodborne pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli O157:H7. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Toxoplasma gondii) cause an estimated 3.3-12.3 million cases of foodborne illness and up to 3900 deaths. These 7 pathogens are found in animal products and cost the United States an estimated $6.5-$34.9 billion (1995 US$) annually. The presence of foodborne pathogens in a country's food supply not only affects the health of the local population, but also represents a potential for spread to pathogens to visitors to the country and to consumers in countries wh...

Characteristics of Foodborne Hazard and Diseases: Cost of Foodborne Diseases

This article provides an introduction to the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease. Afte... more This article provides an introduction to the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease. After a brief overview of the different types of societal costs of foodborne disease and a discussion of why they are important to be estimated, the article discusses some of the main epidemiological and methodological challenges when estimating the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease, and the most common estimation methods. The article concludes with a sample of US and international estimates of the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease and a discussion of future directions. The views expressed here are the author’s and may not be attributed to the Economic Research Service or the US Department of Agriculture.

Epidemiology, cost, and risk of foodborne disease

Economic costs and trade impacts of microbial foodborne illness

World health statistics quarterly. Rapport trimestriel de statistiques sanitaires mondiales, 1997

This article presents the economic costs of foodborne diseases for selected countries, the approa... more This article presents the economic costs of foodborne diseases for selected countries, the approaches used to calculate these costs, and a discussion on the interaction between microbial food safety issues and international trade in food. The human illness costs due to foodborne pathogens are estimated most completely in the United States of America, where, each year, 7 foodborne pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli O157:H7. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Toxoplasma gondii) cause an estimated 3.3-12.3 million cases of foodborne illness and up to 3900 deaths. These 7 pathogens are found in animal products and cost the United States an estimated $6.5-$34.9 billion (1995 US$) annually. The presence of foodborne pathogens in a country's food supply not only affects the health of the local population, but also represents a potential for spread to pathogens to visitors to the country and to consumers in countries wh...

An updated estimate of the economic costs of human illness due to food borne Salmonella in the United States

International Conference on the Epidemiology and Control of Biological, Chemical and Physical Hazards in Pigs and Pork, 1999

Determining the economic costs and global burden of foodborne disease

Tracing Pathogens in the Food Chain, 2011

Abstract: This chapter presents eight epidemiological and methodological challenges that hinder t... more Abstract: This chapter presents eight epidemiological and methodological challenges that hinder the estimation of the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease. The chapter begins with a brief overview of the different types of societal costs of foodborne disease, why they are important to estimate, the general principles of economic analysis for US food safety regulations and the World Health Organization’s collaboration to estimate the global burden of foodborne disease. The chapter summarizes the main methods used to value the costs or burden of foodborne disease and provides examples of US and international estimates.

Modernizing the food supply data system

The FASEB Journal

Contingent Valuation in Food Policy Analysis: A Case Study of a Pesticide-Residue Risk Reduction

Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 1995

This study demonstrates how contingent valuation techniques can be used in a cost-benefit analysi... more This study demonstrates how contingent valuation techniques can be used in a cost-benefit analysis of a food safety policy issue. The analysis focuses on banning a specific postharvest pesticide used in fresh grapefruit packinghouses. Benefits of the ban are measured using consumers' aggregated willingness to pay (WTP) for safer grapefruit. A national contingent valuation survey used the payment card method to obtain WTP data. Costs of the ban stem predominantly from increased postharvest losses and were estimated using a model of the market for Florida grapefruit. Results indicate that benefits of the ban outweigh costs.

Are Food Safety and International Trade Compatible?

Amber Waves, 2003

Free Fruit and Vegetable Snacks a Big Hit in Schools

Amber Waves, 2003

Free fruit and vegetable snacks were provided to over 64,000 children in elementary and secondary... more Free fruit and vegetable snacks were provided to over 64,000 children in elementary and secondary schools as part of USDA's Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program (FVPP). In an effort to promote fresh fruit and vegetable consumption among school children and encourage healthy dietary choices, 107 elementary and secondary schools in 5 States (Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, and Ohio) participated in the FVPP for the 2002-03 school year. Students in participating schools were from diverse ethnic backgrounds and family income levels. The program was popular among most students, parents, school

Consumer Preferences Change Wheat Flour Use

Amber Waves, 2008

The 2007 total is still down 8.9 pounds from its high in 1997. ERS calculates per capita use by d... more The 2007 total is still down 8.9 pounds from its high in 1997. ERS calculates per capita use by dividing the total annual availability by the U.S. population in the same year. These per capita availability estimates provide an indication of trends in Americans' consumption of various foods over time.

Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption, 1970-2005

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activi... more The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and, where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.

Food Safety and International Trade

Agricultural Information Bulletins, Feb 1, 2004

Will 2005 Be the Year of the Whole Grains?

Will 2005 Be the Year of the Whole Grain? by , , and Will 2005 be the year of the whole grain? Ac... more Will 2005 Be the Year of the Whole Grain? by , , and Will 2005 be the year of the whole grain? According to the new , it should be. For the first time, the Dietary Guidelines have specific recommendations for whole grain consumption separate from those for refined grains. The Guidelines, released in January 2005, encourage all Americans over 2 years old to eat at least three 1-ounce-equivalent servings of whole grains each day, or roughly half of their recommended 5 to 10 daily servings of grains, depending on calorie needs.

Chapter 12: USING CONTINGENT VALUATION TO VALUE FOOD SAFETY: A CASE STUDY OF GRAPEFRUIT AND PESTICIDE RESIDUES

This book was originally published by Westview Press, Boulder CO, 1995.

Food Safety and Imports: An Analysis of FDA Food-Related Import Refusal Reports

Economic Information Bulletin, 2008

This report examines U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data on refusals of food offered for... more This report examines U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data on refusals of food offered for importation into the United States from 1998 to 2004. Although the data do not necessarily refl ect the distribution of risk in foods, the study found that import refusals highlight food safety problems that appear to recur in trade and where the FDA has focused its import alerts, examinations (e.g., sampling), and other monitoring efforts. The data show some food industries and types of violations are consistent sources of problems both over time and in comparison with previous studies of more limited data. The three food industry groups with the most violations were vegetables (20.6 percent of total violations), fi shery and seafood (20.1 percent), and fruits (11.7 percent). Violations observed over the entire time period include sanitary issues in seafood and fruit products, unsafe pesticide residues in vegetables, and unregistered processes for canned food products in all three industries.

Overview of Food Loss in the United States

Food loss represents the edible amount of food, postharvest, that is available for human consumpt... more Food loss represents the edible amount of food, postharvest, that is available for human consumption but is not consumed for any reason. Food loss includes:  cooking loss and natural shrinkage (e.g., moisture loss)  loss from mold, pests, or inadequate climate control  food waste (e.g., food left on plate)

Contributor contact details

Food Consumption and Disease Risk, 2006

ERS Updates U.S. Foodborne Disease Costs for Seven Pathogens

athogens are disease-causing microorganisms that include bacteria, fungi, parasites, and Calculat... more athogens are disease-causing microorganisms that include bacteria, fungi, parasites, and Calculating the Costs of Foodborne Illness The cost-of-illness estimates are calculated from the number of annual foodborne-illness cases and deaths caused by the seven foodborne illnesses described in this arti-FoodReview 20

Economic Assessment of Food Safety Regulations: The New Approach to Meat and Poultry Inspection

Agricultural Economics Reports, 1997

USDA is now requiring all Federally inspected meat and poultry processing and slaughter plants to... more USDA is now requiring all Federally inspected meat and poultry processing and slaughter plants to implement a new system called Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) to reduce potentially harmful microbial pathogens in the food supply. This report finds that the benefits of the new regulations, which are the medical costs and productivity losses that are prevented when foodborne illnesses are averted, will likely exceed the costs, which include spending by firms on sanitation, temperature control, planning and training, and testing. Other, nonregulatory approaches can also improve food safety, such as providing market incentives for pathogen reduction, irradiation, and education and labeling to promote safe food handling and thorough cooking.

Economic costs and trade impacts of microbial foodborne illness

World health statistics quarterly. Rapport trimestriel de statistiques sanitaires mondiales, 1997

This article presents the economic costs of foodborne diseases for selected countries, the approa... more This article presents the economic costs of foodborne diseases for selected countries, the approaches used to calculate these costs, and a discussion on the interaction between microbial food safety issues and international trade in food. The human illness costs due to foodborne pathogens are estimated most completely in the United States of America, where, each year, 7 foodborne pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli O157:H7. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Toxoplasma gondii) cause an estimated 3.3-12.3 million cases of foodborne illness and up to 3900 deaths. These 7 pathogens are found in animal products and cost the United States an estimated $6.5-$34.9 billion (1995 US$) annually. The presence of foodborne pathogens in a country's food supply not only affects the health of the local population, but also represents a potential for spread to pathogens to visitors to the country and to consumers in countries wh...

Characteristics of Foodborne Hazard and Diseases: Cost of Foodborne Diseases

This article provides an introduction to the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease. Afte... more This article provides an introduction to the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease. After a brief overview of the different types of societal costs of foodborne disease and a discussion of why they are important to be estimated, the article discusses some of the main epidemiological and methodological challenges when estimating the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease, and the most common estimation methods. The article concludes with a sample of US and international estimates of the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease and a discussion of future directions. The views expressed here are the author’s and may not be attributed to the Economic Research Service or the US Department of Agriculture.

Epidemiology, cost, and risk of foodborne disease

Economic costs and trade impacts of microbial foodborne illness

World health statistics quarterly. Rapport trimestriel de statistiques sanitaires mondiales, 1997

This article presents the economic costs of foodborne diseases for selected countries, the approa... more This article presents the economic costs of foodborne diseases for selected countries, the approaches used to calculate these costs, and a discussion on the interaction between microbial food safety issues and international trade in food. The human illness costs due to foodborne pathogens are estimated most completely in the United States of America, where, each year, 7 foodborne pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli O157:H7. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Toxoplasma gondii) cause an estimated 3.3-12.3 million cases of foodborne illness and up to 3900 deaths. These 7 pathogens are found in animal products and cost the United States an estimated $6.5-$34.9 billion (1995 US$) annually. The presence of foodborne pathogens in a country's food supply not only affects the health of the local population, but also represents a potential for spread to pathogens to visitors to the country and to consumers in countries wh...

An updated estimate of the economic costs of human illness due to food borne Salmonella in the United States

International Conference on the Epidemiology and Control of Biological, Chemical and Physical Hazards in Pigs and Pork, 1999

Determining the economic costs and global burden of foodborne disease

Tracing Pathogens in the Food Chain, 2011

Abstract: This chapter presents eight epidemiological and methodological challenges that hinder t... more Abstract: This chapter presents eight epidemiological and methodological challenges that hinder the estimation of the economic costs and burden of foodborne disease. The chapter begins with a brief overview of the different types of societal costs of foodborne disease, why they are important to estimate, the general principles of economic analysis for US food safety regulations and the World Health Organization’s collaboration to estimate the global burden of foodborne disease. The chapter summarizes the main methods used to value the costs or burden of foodborne disease and provides examples of US and international estimates.

Modernizing the food supply data system

The FASEB Journal

Contingent Valuation in Food Policy Analysis: A Case Study of a Pesticide-Residue Risk Reduction

Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 1995

This study demonstrates how contingent valuation techniques can be used in a cost-benefit analysi... more This study demonstrates how contingent valuation techniques can be used in a cost-benefit analysis of a food safety policy issue. The analysis focuses on banning a specific postharvest pesticide used in fresh grapefruit packinghouses. Benefits of the ban are measured using consumers' aggregated willingness to pay (WTP) for safer grapefruit. A national contingent valuation survey used the payment card method to obtain WTP data. Costs of the ban stem predominantly from increased postharvest losses and were estimated using a model of the market for Florida grapefruit. Results indicate that benefits of the ban outweigh costs.

Are Food Safety and International Trade Compatible?

Amber Waves, 2003

Free Fruit and Vegetable Snacks a Big Hit in Schools

Amber Waves, 2003

Free fruit and vegetable snacks were provided to over 64,000 children in elementary and secondary... more Free fruit and vegetable snacks were provided to over 64,000 children in elementary and secondary schools as part of USDA's Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program (FVPP). In an effort to promote fresh fruit and vegetable consumption among school children and encourage healthy dietary choices, 107 elementary and secondary schools in 5 States (Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, and Ohio) participated in the FVPP for the 2002-03 school year. Students in participating schools were from diverse ethnic backgrounds and family income levels. The program was popular among most students, parents, school

Consumer Preferences Change Wheat Flour Use

Amber Waves, 2008

The 2007 total is still down 8.9 pounds from its high in 1997. ERS calculates per capita use by d... more The 2007 total is still down 8.9 pounds from its high in 1997. ERS calculates per capita use by dividing the total annual availability by the U.S. population in the same year. These per capita availability estimates provide an indication of trends in Americans' consumption of various foods over time.

Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption, 1970-2005

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activi... more The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and, where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.

Food Safety and International Trade

Agricultural Information Bulletins, Feb 1, 2004

Will 2005 Be the Year of the Whole Grains?

Will 2005 Be the Year of the Whole Grain? by , , and Will 2005 be the year of the whole grain? Ac... more Will 2005 Be the Year of the Whole Grain? by , , and Will 2005 be the year of the whole grain? According to the new , it should be. For the first time, the Dietary Guidelines have specific recommendations for whole grain consumption separate from those for refined grains. The Guidelines, released in January 2005, encourage all Americans over 2 years old to eat at least three 1-ounce-equivalent servings of whole grains each day, or roughly half of their recommended 5 to 10 daily servings of grains, depending on calorie needs.

Chapter 12: USING CONTINGENT VALUATION TO VALUE FOOD SAFETY: A CASE STUDY OF GRAPEFRUIT AND PESTICIDE RESIDUES

This book was originally published by Westview Press, Boulder CO, 1995.

Food Safety and Imports: An Analysis of FDA Food-Related Import Refusal Reports

Economic Information Bulletin, 2008

This report examines U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data on refusals of food offered for... more This report examines U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data on refusals of food offered for importation into the United States from 1998 to 2004. Although the data do not necessarily refl ect the distribution of risk in foods, the study found that import refusals highlight food safety problems that appear to recur in trade and where the FDA has focused its import alerts, examinations (e.g., sampling), and other monitoring efforts. The data show some food industries and types of violations are consistent sources of problems both over time and in comparison with previous studies of more limited data. The three food industry groups with the most violations were vegetables (20.6 percent of total violations), fi shery and seafood (20.1 percent), and fruits (11.7 percent). Violations observed over the entire time period include sanitary issues in seafood and fruit products, unsafe pesticide residues in vegetables, and unregistered processes for canned food products in all three industries.

Overview of Food Loss in the United States

Food loss represents the edible amount of food, postharvest, that is available for human consumpt... more Food loss represents the edible amount of food, postharvest, that is available for human consumption but is not consumed for any reason. Food loss includes:  cooking loss and natural shrinkage (e.g., moisture loss)  loss from mold, pests, or inadequate climate control  food waste (e.g., food left on plate)