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Food Availability Overview:
The ERS Food Availability (per capita) Data System
includes three distinct but related data series on
food and nutrient availability for consumption. The
data serve as popular proxies for actual consumption.
Data are now available through 2009 in Excel spreadsheets.
Custom reports are not currently available, as a new
custom report application is being developed for release
in 2012.
View a Table comparing the three data series.
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Recommended use |
1. Supply and use spreadsheets
2. Per capita availability*
For example:
- Pounds (lbs.) per year
- Gallons per year
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1. Daily MyPyramid
equivalents
2. Daily calories |
1. Per capita per day
availability of food
energy and 27
nutrients
2. Amount and share of
energy and nutrients
available by food group |
What's available |
Spreadsheets 
Documentation  |
Spreadsheets
Documentation |
Spreadsheets
Documentation |
Data range |
1909-2009 for
most commodities†
| 1970-2009†
| 1909-2006 by
nutrient
1970-2004 by food group
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Methodology |
Constructed using data on production, imports, exports, beginning and ending stocks and nonfood uses |
Food availability data adjusted for loss and spoilage at the farm, retail, and consumer levels |
Compiled by USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) using ERS food availability data |
*Units
of key variables depend on whether the commodity
is a liquid or solid and on other characteristics.
†Data are now available
through 2009 in Excel spreadsheets. Custom
reports are not currently available, as a
new custom report application is being developed
for release in 2012.
Note: The Loss-Adjusted Food Availability
Data series is a preliminary data series in
that its hundreds of loss assumptions are
being reviewed and updated. For more information,
see Loss-Adjusted
Food Availability documentation. |
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Recommended Citation
Economic Research Service (ERS), U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). Food Availability (Per Capita) Data System. http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FoodConsumption.
Limitations
- Data by demographic category are not available (for example, no data by State, city, or region or age of individual).
- Data are available by year only. Daily, monthly, or quarterly data are not available.
- Data are for the United States only. For international data, see the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations website.
- Data are constructed data, not actual data from food consumption surveys. See documentation for details.
- The Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data series is a preliminary data series in that its hundreds of loss assumptions are being reviewed and updated.
Related Resources
Diet Quality and Food Consumption Briefing Room—Offers
an indepth discussion synthesizing ERS research on food availability.
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