Waste Not! Addressing Food Waste Across Newfoundland & Labrador's Food System

CPD Program Onsite
Schedule:
  • Friday, May 8, 2026 |  9:00 AM - 5:30 PM

About this Program

Waste Not! Addressing Food Waste Across Newfoundland and Labrador’s Food System is a full-day hybrid symposium focused on food waste across the province’s agricultural, marine, retail, and community sectors. Featuring expert panels and interactive discussions, the program will examine the causes and impacts of food waste, explore opportunities for diversion and value recovery, and support cross-sector dialogue on practical solutions tailored for Newfoundland and Labrador. 

The symposium is divided into four sessions, each comprising a stage setting, a panel discussion, and a question-and-answer session. The four sessions are:

  • Session 1 — Terrestrial Production, Harvesting & Distribution (9:30 AM - 11:00 AM)
    What Doesn't Make It Off The Farm Or To The Shelves — And Why

  • Session 2 — Fish & Seafood Waste (11:15 AM - 12:45 PM)
    Valorization Opportunities And Industry Perspectives

  • Session 3 — Retail & Consumer Waste (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
    Grocery, Institutional, and Household Food Waste

  • Session 4 — Integration & Pathways Forward (3:15 PM - 4:30 PM)
    Cross-cutting Themes, Policy, and Collective Next Steps

Date/Time: Friday, May 8, 2026, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Format: Hybrid (In-person and Virtual). The Webex link will be emailed to registrants on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the afternoon.  On-site Registration is full; Online registration is available. 

Location: Frank and Eileen Gronich Lecture Theatre (1M102), Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University. The room has been changed from the main auditorium to 1M102 in the Faculty of Medicine. Please enter through the glass door at the Faculty of Medicine entrance, Frank and Eileen Gronich Lecture Theatre (1M102) is the first room on the right. 

Parking: Lot 27 (Paid Parking at the Parking Garage)

Recording: All sessions will be recorded.

Program Information: Greg Hewett - execdir@foodproducersforum.com  & Dr. Atanu Sarkar - asarkar@mun.ca

Program Agenda

Friday, May 8, 2026
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome Remarks — Food Producers Forum & MUN Faculty of Medicine
9:10 AM - 9:20 AM
Framing The Day: Food Waste As A Systems Design Challenge In Nl
9:20 AM - 9:30 AM
Symposium Overview
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Session 1 - Terrestrial Production, Harvesting & Distribution (9:30 AM - 10:30 AM)
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Session 1 Stage-Setting: Key questions and Framing
9:40 AM - 10:30 AM
Panel Discussion: Cosmetic Standards, Labour, Market Access, Infrastructure, And Food Rescue
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Open Q&A - Terrestrial Production, Harvesting & Distribution
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Mid - Morning Break
11:15 AM - 12:45 AM
Session 2 — Fish & Seafood Waste (11:15 AM - 12:45 PM)
11:15 AM - 11:25 AM
Session 2 Stage-Setting: Key questions and Framing
11:25 AM - 12:15 PM
Panel Discussion: Scale Of Fish Waste In Nl, Valorization Pathways, Green Chemistry, And The Business Case
12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
Open Q&A - Fish & Seafood Waste
12:45 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Session 3 — Retail & Consumer Waste (1:30 PM- 2:30 PM)
1:30 PM - 1:40 PM
Session 3 Stage-Setting: Key Questions and Framing
1:40 PM - 2:30 PM
Panel Discussion: Consumer Behaviour, Retail Dynamics, Policy Levers, Food Rescue, And Community Composting
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Open Q&A - Retail & Consumer Waste
3:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Mid-Afternoon Break
3:15 PM - 4:20 PM
Session 4 — Integration & Pathways Forward (3:15 PM - 4:20 PM)
3:15 PM - 3:25 PM
Session 4 Stage-setting: Synthesis Of Cross-cutting Themes Across The Food System
3:25 PM - 3:55 PM
Panel Discussion: Infrastructure Gaps, Policy Barriers, Coordination Failures, And Pathways Forward
3:55 PM - 4:20 PM
Open Plenary: Priorities for Action in Newfoundland and Labrador
4:20 PM - 4:30 PM
Emerging Recommendations and Collaborative Opportunities
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Closing Remarks
4:45 PM - 5:30 PM
Networking
Acknowledgements

WASTE NOT!  Addressing Food Waste Across Newfoundland & Labrador's Food System is Co-organized by the Food Producers Forum and the Division of Population Health, Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, MUN

Panelists

Session 1 — Terrestrial Production, Harvesting & Distribution
What Doesn't Make It Off The Farm Or To The Shelves — And Why

  • Sabrina Ellsworth (Director of Agriculture Research & Production, NL Dept. of Fisheries, Forestry and Lands)
  • Mary Lester (Owner/Operator, Lester's Farm Market)
  • Tavish Russell & Anja Sajovic (Owners/Operators, FarmOnForest)
  • Mel Jaques (Foodraising Manager, Atlantic Canada, Second Harvest)

Session 2 — Fish & Seafood Waste
Valorization Opportunities and Industry Perspectives

  • Dr. Deepika Dave — Research Scientist, Marine Institute
  • Dr. Shegufa Shetranjiwalla-Merchant — Assistant Professor, School of Science and the Environment (Chemistry)
  • Padmapriya Srinivasan — PhD Student, Green Chemistry and Catalysis, MUN
  • Diane Hollett — Founder, NL Marine Organics

Session 3 — Retail & Consumer Waste
Grocery, Institutional, and Household Food Waste

  • Dr. Sylvain Charlebois — Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution, McGill; Professor in Food Distribution and Policy, Dalhousie; Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab
  • Audrey Parnell — Manager of Circular Economy at Econext
  • Viviana Ramirez Luna — NL Composting Co-op
  • Justin Lee — Senior Program and Policy Development Officer, MMSB

Session 4 — Integration & Pathways Forward
Cross-cutting Themes, Policy, and Collective Next Steps

  • Dr. Sylvain Charlebois — Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution, McGill; Professor in Food Distribution and Policy, Dalhousie; Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab
  • Justin Lee — Senior Program and Policy Development Officer, MMSB
  • Sabrina Ellsworth — Director of Agriculture Research & Production, NL Dept. of Fisheries, Forestry and Lands
  • Dr. Deepika Dave — Research Scientist, Marine Institute
Registration Details

Registration for this program is closed.