COMPOST Act

119 HR 3272 IH: Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion Of Sustainable Techniques Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-05-08 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3272 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 8, 2025 Ms. Brownley (for herself and Ms. Pingree ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To require the designation of composting as a conservation practice and activity, and to provide grants and loan guarantees for composting facilities and programs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion Of Sustainable Techniques Act or the COMPOST Act . 2. Composting as conservation practice (a) Conservation standards and requirements Section 1241(j) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3841(j) ) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph: (2) Composting as conservation practice and activity (A) In general The Secretary shall by regulation provide that composting is a conservation practice and a conservation activity for the purposes of this title. (B) Composting defined (i) In general For the purposes of this paragraph, the term composting means— (I) an activity (including an activity that does not require the use of a composting facility) to produce compost from organic waste that is— (aa) generated on a farm; or (bb) brought to a farm from a nearby community and used to produce compost on that farm; and (II) the use and active management of compost on a farm, in accordance with any applicable Federal, State, or local law, to improve water retention and soil health. (ii) Determination of nearby communities The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall issue regulations for determining whether a community is nearby for purposes of clause (i)(I), which shall ensure that bringing organic waste from the community to the farm to produce compost results in a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. . (b) Conservation stewardship program Section 1240I(2)(B)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–21(2)(B)(i) ) is amended by inserting and composting practices after agriculture drainage management systems . (c) Environmental quality incentives program Section 1240A(6)(A)(ii) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1(6)(A)(ii) ) is amended by inserting , including composting practices before the semicolon at the end. (d) Delivery of technical assistance Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3842(h) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (5) Development of composting practice standard In addition to conducting a review under this subsection of any composting facility practice standard established before the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall establish a composting practice standard under the process developed under paragraph (3). .