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Amends subsection (d)(2) by (1) expanding the list of governments in subparagraph (A) to include State and Tribal governments, (2) adding clauses (iv) and (v) to subparagraph (C) to require the Secretary to publish guidance to assist applicants lacking technical assistance (particularly for pilot projects to reduce food loss and food waste by means other than composting) and to require the Secretary to accept applications for a duration sufficient to ensure smaller and rural communities can apply, and (3) inserts additional text into subparagraph (D) (text not provided in the excerpt).
Amends section 4 of the Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 1792): modifies the introductory clause of subsection (a), changes paragraph (1) language from 'encourages' to 'requires', adds a new paragraph (3) requiring contractors to submit reports to the applicable executive agency describing specified efforts/actions and donations, and adds a new subsection (c) requiring executive agencies to submit biennial reports to Congress summarizing those contractor-reported matters.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Introduced April 9, 2025 by Christopher A. Coons · Last progress April 9, 2025
Creates a new USDA Office of Food Loss and Waste and related programs to measure, prevent, and reduce food loss and food waste across the supply chain and among consumers, with a national goal to cut food loss and waste 50% by 2030 (compared to 2016). The measure funds research, data collection and reporting, regional coordinators, multiple grant programs (including public–private partnership grants and block grants), federal agency action, contractor requirements, and a national education campaign for fiscal years 2026–2030. Establishes standards and definitions for food loss/waste and upcycled food, requires public reporting and stakeholder consultation, sets grant eligibility and matching rules, and prioritizes infrastructure and capacity investments (storage, temperature-controlled distribution, technology, staffing) to improve food recovery and reduce spoilage and waste.
'Administrator' means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
'Commissioner' means the Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
'Food' means any raw, cooked, processed, or prepared substance, ice, beverage, or ingredient used or intended for use in whole or in part for human consumption.
'Food loss' means, with respect to food, that the food does not reach a consumer as a result of an issue in the production, storage, processing, or distribution phase.
'Food recovery' means the collection of wholesome food that would otherwise go to waste and the redistribution of that food to feed people.
Who is affected and how:
State, local, municipal, and Tribal governments: Eligible to lead or join grants and partnerships; will receive technical assistance and grant funds but may need to provide matching funds and meet reporting requirements. Smaller and rural governments get targeted application guidance and longer application windows.
Food producers, processors, and manufacturers (including food facilities): May be grant recipients or partners for infrastructure projects (cold storage, distribution, tech); will be affected by new federal contracting requirements and encouraged into partnerships to reduce supply-chain loss.
Farmers and distributors: Stand to benefit from investments that reduce on-farm and post-harvest loss (improved storage, transport, and redistribution), but may face new data collection or reporting expectations if participating in funded projects.
Food recovery organizations, food banks, and nonprofits: Eligible partners for grants and partnerships; increased funding for capacity (storage, refrigerated distribution, staffing) will strengthen recovery and redistribution operations.
Consumers and communities: Will be targeted by the national education campaign to reduce household waste, improve food safety understanding, and increase composting; successful programs could lower household food costs and enhance food security.
Federal agencies and contractors: Senior officials are required to expand interagency efforts and report publicly; federal contractors may face requirements related to food waste reduction in procurement or operations.
Likely effects and tradeoffs:
Overall, the legislation targets system-wide measurement and coordinated investment to reduce loss and waste across the food system while requiring public reporting and stakeholder engagement to track progress toward the 2030 target.
Expand sections to see detailed analysis
NO TIME TO Waste Act
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Introduced in Senate