Compost Act

In January 2023, Representative Julia Brownley (D-CA) and 8 co-sponsors, and Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Christopher Coons (D-DE) introduced the COMPOST Act (H.R. 651 and S. 179), which would designate composting as a conservation act and provide grants for composting infrastructure.

The bill would:

• Create new USDA grant and loan guarantee programs for composting infrastructure projects, including large-scale composting facilities as well as farm, home, or community-based projects.
• Provide $200 million in funding for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2031, funding each project up to $5 million or 75% of the project’s costs.
• Prioritize projects located in or serving communities with significant food waste or limited access to food waste composting, especially those engaging with disadvantaged and low-income communities, and Black, Indigenous, and other people of color.
• Prioritize projects that create opportunities for hiring and leadership development that are inclusive and provide living wages.