Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025
Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create a comprehensive plan aimed at making American agriculture carbon-neutral by 2040. The USDA would need to regularly update this plan and report annually on progress. The legislation expands existing USDA programs focused on research, education, conservation, and renewable energy—redirecting them to emphasize climate-friendly farming practices. **Key Provisions and Who It Affects:** The bill targets several agricultural practices to reduce emissions, including improving soil health, protecting farmland and grasslands, and reducing methane emissions from livestock operations.
It would expand programs like AgSTAR (which helps reduce methane from animal waste) and support renewable energy projects in rural areas. This affects farmers, ranchers, agricultural researchers, and rural communities, while also potentially influencing food production and agricultural practices nationwide. **Current Status:** The bill was introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives. The bill has not passed.
CRS Official Summary
Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 This bill establishes, expands, and revises multiple programs and activities of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) primarily to reduce carbon emissions from the agricultural sector.Specifically, USDA must finalize and implement a plan to achieve net-zero emissions from the sector by 2040. USDA must periodically review and revise the plan, as necessary, and annually report on its implementation.Additionally, the bill expands the scope of various USDA research, extension, and education programs; conservation programs; and livestock programs to incorporate climate change mitigation and adaptation. Expanded activities include efforts to improve soil health and preserve farmland and grassland.Further, the bill changes programs that support renewable energy in rural areas to address carbon emissions in the agricultural sector. Among these changes, the bill provides statutory authority for the AgSTAR program for reducing methane emissions from livestock waste and requires the program to be moved from the Environmental Protection Agency to USDA.The bill also addresses food waste, for example, by (1) standardizing the voluntary labels used by food producers to indicate the date by which food should be used or discarded, and (2) making composting activities eligible for support through USDA conservation programs. Moreover, the bill establishes grants to reduce and prevent food waste in landfills and in schools.
Latest Action
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, House Administration, and 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.