Sponsors (2)
The bill aims to increase food donation, safety clarity, and waste diversion through voluntary certification and interagency coordination—boosting assistance and environmental benefits—while imposing administrative and compliance costs that may advantage larger actors and limit nationwide impact without mandatory measures.
Nonprofits and low-income households are likely to receive more recovered/redistributed food because voluntary certification and clearer federal coordination encourage donations and improve donation pathways.
Consumers and recipient households gain clearer safety expectations for recovered food because the bill promotes interagency guidance and standards that clarify when donated food is 'apparently wholesome'.
Producers, retailers, and distributors get more regulatory clarity and potential transactional savings because strengthened interagency guidance reduces uncertainty around donation and waste-reduction practices.
Small businesses, farms, and institutions will face new administrative burdens and costs because certification requires collecting 12 months of donation/disposal data and paying for third‑party accreditation; stricter standards could add compliance costs.
Larger firms that can absorb certification and marketing costs are likely to gain disproportionate visibility and market advantage, potentially disadvantaging smaller businesses and community organizations.
Taxpayers may bear ongoing costs because the program authorizes about $3 million per year for USDA plus potential administrative expenses from revising interagency agreements.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates a voluntary USDA certification program for entities that reduce food loss and waste, sets accreditation rules, and funds program operation.
Introduced March 4, 2025 by Richard Joseph Durbin · Last progress March 4, 2025
Creates a voluntary USDA program to certify and promote businesses, farms, nonprofits, and other entities that measurably reduce food loss and waste. The USDA would set certification criteria, accredit third-party certifiers, maintain public lists and labels for certified entities, and coordinate with FDA and EPA; the bill also authorizes $3 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2030 to run the program. The Secretary must publish initial criteria and recognition processes within 18 months of enactment and update criteria with advance Federal Register notice; USDA, FDA, and EPA must revise their interagency cooperation agreement to align with the new program. Participation is voluntary and intended to encourage donation, waste reduction, and public recognition rather than impose regulatory mandates.