City of Madison accepted into Food Matters Initiative January 20, 2021 9:34 AM Stephen Cohn American Dairy Association Mideast A new survey by the American Dairy Association Mideast finds that 94% of Americans say they throw away food at home. Experts say a few easy changes can help families cutdown on food waste, easing the burden on the environment and their wallets. MADISON, Wis. — The City of Madison announced Wednesday that it has been accepted into the Great Lakes Cohort of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Food Matters Initiative. According to a news release, the NRDC has partnered with cities to achieve reductions in food waste through policies and programs.