Fuel for Food: Energy Use in the U.S. Food System

In 2007, the U.S. food system accounted for almost 16 percent of the Nation’s energy budget. Between 1997 and 2002, over 80 percent of the increase in annual U.S. energy consumption was food related. Population growth, higher per capita food expenditures, and greater reliance on energy-using technologies boosted food-related energy consumption.