Food Rescue Act

Bill Number

H.R. 7144

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-03-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.

Last Updated

2026-07-02T08:07:15Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Food Rescue Act (H.R. 7144) aims to reduce food waste and improve access to food for people in need by creating a nationwide system to recover and redistribute surplus or donated food. It amends the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to build partnerships between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and nonprofit organizations focused on food rescue.

Key Provisions

• Establishment of the National Food Rescue System: The USDA, through its Food and Nutrition Service, must set up and manage a coordinated system for recovering, processing, transporting, and distributing excess food from farms, stores, manufacturers, and distributors to emergency food programs and communities facing food shortages.
• Core Activities: The system will involve:
• Identifying sources of surplus food.
• Forming partnerships with nonprofits, food banks, and local groups for recovery and distribution.
• Improving logistics like storage, transportation (including refrigerated systems), and delivery to end users.
• Developing technology and data tools to track and redirect food efficiently.
• Offering guidance and support to partners to boost coordination.
• Grant Program: A competitive grant system will fund these activities, open to food rescue nonprofits working with food banks, recovery networks, governments (state, local, Tribal, or territorial), logistics companies, and frontline food aid providers.
• Allowable Uses of Grant Funds: Money can cover:
• Direct rescue efforts, like collecting food from fields or stores.
• Transportation and delivery, especially for perishable items.
• Building or upgrading storage, processing, and packaging facilities.
• Real-time tech for matching surplus food with recipients.
• Staff, equipment, and operations for rescue work.
• Limited administrative expenses, as approved by the USDA.
• Application Process: Groups applying for grants must submit details on their project plan, expected outcomes (e.g., pounds of food saved and people served), partners, budget, timeline, and logistics for handling food.
• Coordination and Funding: The USDA must align this with existing food aid programs, including the Farm-to-Food Bank Project, and other efforts to cut food waste. Funding is authorized at whatever level Congress deems necessary.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a new Section 216 to the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983, introducing the national food rescue system and grant program as a dedicated framework for surplus food recovery—previously, such efforts were more fragmented or tied to broader food assistance.
• Makes a minor adjustment to Section 203D(b) of the 1983 Act, clarifying that funds for the new system are separate from general appropriations under the existing law, preventing overlap in budgeting.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The USDA will take on new responsibilities for operating the system, awarding grants, and coordinating with partners, potentially increasing administrative workload but also streamlining federal food waste reduction efforts.
• On Citizens: Food-insecure individuals and communities could gain better access to nutritious surplus food through expanded distribution networks, helping address hunger while reducing overall food waste (estimated at billions of pounds annually in the U.S.).
• On International Relations: No direct effects, as the bill focuses on domestic agriculture and food aid programs.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Food Rescue Organizations and Nonprofits: Primary beneficiaries, gaining grants and partnerships to scale operations.
• Food Banks, Emergency Feeding Programs, and Frontline Providers: Enhanced support for distribution to vulnerable populations.
• Agricultural Producers, Retailers, Manufacturers, and Distributors: Encouraged to donate surplus food, with logistics help to make it easier.
• Government Entities: USDA leads implementation; state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments can partner on projects.
• Logistics and Tech Providers: Opportunities to supply transportation, storage, and tracking tools.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens federal authority under agricultural and welfare laws to combat food loss, potentially setting precedents for future grants in sustainability and anti-hunger initiatives; requires clear USDA rulemaking for grant administration to ensure fair competition.
• Constitutional: Relies on Congress's spending power (Article I, Section 8) to authorize and fund programs that promote general welfare, with no apparent conflicts to federalism as it encourages voluntary state and local involvement.
• Political: Promotes bipartisan goals like environmental protection (by cutting waste) and social equity (aiding food-insecure groups), but could spark debates over federal spending priorities amid budget constraints; emphasizes efficiency without mandating donations, avoiding liability issues for food donors.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]

Recent Actions

• 2026-03-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
• 2026-01-16: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2026-01-16: Introduced in House
• 2026-01-16: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Food Rescue Act — issued 2026-01-16 — PDF (5 pages)