True Cost Accounting – FAO and Tufts Joint Webinar

Policy and Programmatic Implications of TCA

Agenda: April 25 2022, 10AM -1PM (Eastern Standard Time USA)

While the idea of True Cost Accounting has become an interesting concept recently, most of the literature is theoretical and not operational.  The attempts to apply this framework into practice has been centered around adding up negative externalities certain diets such a meat without regards to the positive externalities of healthier foods.  A related problem with True Cost Accounting is that it has been mostly seen as a guide to tax/subsidy policies, aiming to get prices aligned with true cost.  Instead of focusing on taxation, a keyway to account for these positive and negative externalities would be use regulation to fix market failures.  If regulations are utilized to consider the true cost of food, what will be the operational implications for programs like school meals?  What types of foods will be served and how much will be reimbursed? 

Opening Remarks: 10AM – 10:15 AM
FAO
Tufts-Dean, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy

Session 1 – Moderator: Eileen Kennedy, Tufts University: 10:15: 11:25AM 

Session 2 – Moderator: Jaime Morrison, FAO – 11:25 AM – 12:50 PM

More details coming soon!