NO TIME TO Waste Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2883
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-04-10: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-10T08:07:44Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The "New Opportunities for Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and Education To Overcome Waste Act" (NO TIME TO Waste Act) aims to reduce food loss and waste in the United States by authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to lead federal efforts. It supports a national goal of cutting food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030 compared to 2016 levels, through research, coordination, infrastructure, education, and partnerships. Food loss refers to edible food discarded before reaching consumers due to issues in production, storage, processing, or distribution, while food waste is edible food thrown away at retail or consumer levels.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of the Office of Food Loss and Waste: Creates a new office within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to oversee research on measuring and reducing food loss/waste, develop technologies, assess environmental impacts (like greenhouse gas emissions), produce progress reports to Congress, run educational campaigns, and administer grants. The office will partner with regional institutions and track federal programs.
- Grant Programs:
- Supports data collection on state and local policies to reduce food loss/waste, with grants up to 3 years for governments, nonprofits, or partnerships. Requires matching funds (at least 10%) and data sharing to develop model policies.
- Block grants to states and Tribal nations for food recovery infrastructure, such as storage, temperature-controlled transport, tech for matching surplus food to needs, and staff support. Coordinates with existing USDA programs.
- Grants to governments for public-private partnerships with nonprofits and sectors like grocery, restaurants, and hospitals to measure and reduce waste, with a 50% matching requirement and annual public reports.
- Regional Coordinators and Coordination: Appoints USDA regional coordinators to connect food producers, processors, and recovery groups for real-time surplus food redistribution, provide technical aid, and build recovery capacity.
- Interagency and Stakeholder Collaboration: Strengthens a 2020 agreement between USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on food loss/waste. Requires annual reports, consultations with private sector, producers, nonprofits, and food-insecure communities, and quarterly federal meetings. Exempts advisory groups from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (a law requiring formal procedures for federal advisory bodies).
- Education and Awareness Campaign: Launches a national campaign via USDA to educate on waste amounts, storage tips, date label meanings ("Best If Used By" indicates quality, not safety), composting, upcycled products (foods made from surplus ingredients with verified environmental benefits), and links to health, insecurity, and climate. Includes community pilots, waste audits, and behavioral research, with targeted messaging for diverse groups.
- Research and Policy Enhancements: Prioritizes USDA research grants for food loss/waste in agriculture, animal systems, and nutrition areas. Analyzes policies and recommends regulations to address gaps.
- Funding Authorizations: Allocates funds for fiscal years 2026–2030, including $1.5 million for the office, $2 million each for grants, infrastructure, partnerships, and the campaign; $1 million each for coordinators and interagency work. Allows up to 4% for administrative costs in some programs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Federal Food Donation Act of 2008: Expands requirements for federal contractors handling food to donate surplus (changing "encourages" to "requires") and mandates biennial reports on waste prevention, reduction efforts, and donations. Agencies must report to Congress every two years.
- Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (Composting Program): Broadens eligibility to include Tribal governments; adds guidance for resource-limited applicants (especially non-composting waste reduction pilots); extends application periods for small/rural communities; and allows private funding for matching requirements.
- Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act: Directs priority funding for food loss/waste projects in key agricultural research areas, such as production efficiency and using food byproducts as animal feed.
These changes build on prior laws by adding enforcement, reporting, and incentives without creating entirely new frameworks.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases workload and funding for USDA (leading role), EPA, and FDA through coordination, reporting, and grant management. Enhances efficiency in food recovery programs and research, potentially reducing long-term costs from waste-related emissions and insecurity. Other agencies (e.g., Defense, Education) may adopt procurement practices to minimize waste.
- Citizens: Improves food security by redistributing surplus to those in need, educates on reducing household waste (e.g., better storage to avoid spoilage), and promotes composting/upcycling for environmental benefits. Could lower grocery costs indirectly and address nutrition in underserved communities.
- International Relations: Aligns U.S. efforts with global UN Sustainable Development Goals on food waste reduction, potentially strengthening diplomatic ties on climate and food security, though the bill focuses domestically with no direct foreign provisions.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: USDA (primary), EPA, FDA, and others like Transportation and Homeland Security for procurement and logistics.
- State, Local, Tribal, and Municipal Governments: Eligible for grants, infrastructure support, and model policies; must distribute funds and report data.
- Food Industry and Producers: Farmers, processors, retailers, restaurants, and contractors face new reporting/donation requirements but gain technical aid, research, and partnership opportunities.
- Nonprofits and Community Organizations: Food recovery groups benefit from coordinators, grants, and campaigns; involved in consultations and pilots.
- Consumers and Communities: Households, especially food-insecure or rural ones, receive education, access to recovered food, and local solutions.
- Private Sector: Businesses in grocery, hospitality, and manufacturing can partner for grants and adopt best practices, with incentives for upcycled products.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Introduces enforceable reporting for contractors and data-sharing mandates for grant recipients, potentially leading to new regulations based on office recommendations. The FACA exemption streamlines consultations but ensures broad input without bureaucratic delays.
- Constitutional: No direct challenges; supports general welfare through environmental and public health goals, with federal funding tied to voluntary partnerships and grants.
- Political: Bipartisan introduction (by Reps. Pingree and Lawler) emphasizes nonpartisan issues like climate and security. Authorizations through 2030 provide long-term stability but depend on congressional appropriations; could influence future farm bills by integrating waste reduction into agriculture policy.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10], Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2]
Recent Actions
- 2025-04-10: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-04-10: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-04-10: Introduced in House
- 2025-04-10: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- New Opportunities for Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and Education To Overcome Waste Act, — issued 2025-04-10 — PDF (27 pages)