NO TIME TO Waste Act
NO TIME TO Waste Act
Plain Language Summary
# NO TIME TO Waste Act Summary The NO TIME TO Waste Act (HR 2883) is a bill that would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to lead a coordinated federal effort to reduce food loss and waste in America. The bill distinguishes between "food loss"—food that spoils or is lost during production, storage, processing, or distribution—and "food waste"—food that reaches stores or consumers but goes unconsumed. If passed, the USDA would work alongside the Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency to implement these efforts, establish a dedicated Office of Food Loss and Waste, and create grant programs to help states and local communities collect data and develop solutions. The bill affects a broad range of stakeholders, including farmers, food processors, retailers, restaurants, schools, and consumers, as well as state and local governments.
Key provisions include establishing new federal coordination mechanisms, creating grants to support data collection and reduction programs at the state and local level, and providing education initiatives. The bill is currently in committee, meaning it has been introduced but has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives. It was sponsored by Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine).
CRS Official Summary
New Opportunities for Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and Education To Overcome Waste Act or the NO TIME TO Waste ActThis bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reduce U.S. food loss and waste (FLW) through federal coordination, grants, and education.Under the bill, food loss means the food that does not reach a consumer as a result of an issue in the production, storage, processing, or distribution phase. Food waste means that food intended for human consumption is unconsumed for any reason at the retail or consumption phase.The bill requires USDA to collaborate with the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out a December, 17, 2020, agreement to coordinate federal efforts to cut FLW.Further, USDA must establish an Office of Food Loss and Waste to support the existing role of the Food Loss and Waste Liaison. The office must also, among other things, establisha grant program to support collecting data on existing state and local FLW policies (and the office must use the data to establish model policies for state and local governments);a block grant program for states and Indian tribes to develop and support food recovery infrastructure and innovative food distribution models; anda grant program to incentivize state, municipal, local, and tribal governments to establish public-private partnerships that commit to reducing FLW by 50% by 2030.The Office of Food Loss and Waste must also initiate a national FLW education and public awareness campaign.
Latest Action
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.