Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act of 2025
Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act of 2025 - Summary **What It Does:** This bill would create a voluntary certification program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help reduce food waste across America. Businesses, farms, restaurants, schools, and other organizations that participate would be certified if they meet standards for reducing food waste, donating excess food to nonprofits, or using alternative disposal methods like composting or redirecting food to animal feed. The USDA would also establish rules for independent third-party certifiers to review and verify that participants meet these standards. **Who It Affects:** The program would apply to a wide range of food-related organizations, including farms, food producers, grocery stores, restaurants, schools, state and local governments, and corporations.
Participation is voluntary—organizations wouldn't be required to join, but those that do could earn certification. The bill also encourages colleges and universities to become accredited certifiers, giving them a role in overseeing the program. **Current Status:** The bill is currently in committee (S 835, sponsored by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois), meaning it hasn't yet been voted on by the full Senate. It remains under consideration by relevant congressional committees.
CRS Official Summary
Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act of 2025This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a voluntary Food Loss and Waste Reduction Certification Program in order to reduce food loss and waste, increase donations of excess food to certain nonprofit organizations, and increase the use of alternative disposal methods for food (e.g., redirection to animal feed and composting).Specifically, USDA must establish criteria for the certification of eligible participants (e.g., state or local governments, corporations, farms or food producers, retail grocers, restaurants, and schools).USDA must also establish criteria for recognizing accreditation bodies to accredit third-party certifiers to review and certify program participants. Preference in accrediting third-party certifiers must be given to institutions of higher education that have expertise in food loss and waste reduction. USDA must maintain on a publicly available USDA website a list of (1) recognized accreditation bodies, and (2) accredited third-party certifiers.Further, USDA must establish a voluntary label that certified program participants may use to indicate that they are certified. USDA must also promote certified participants on the USDA website and through events.Finally, USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must revise a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on December 17, 2020, and relating to cooperation and coordination on food loss and waste. USDA must implement this bill in coordination with the FDA and the EPA and in accordance with the revised MOU.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S1498-1499)