Food Recovery Act of 2017

To decrease the incidence of food waste, and for other purposes. 1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Food Recovery Act of 2017 (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definition of Secretary. TITLE I—Farms Sec. 101. Use of Rural Energy for America Program to reduce food and crop waste. Sec. 102. Farm storage facility loan program. Sec. 103. Composting as conservation practice. Sec. 104. Study and report on methods to decrease incidence of food waste. TITLE II—Retail and restaurants Sec. 201. Good Samaritan food donation. Sec. 202. Report on food donation by retail food stores. Sec. 203. Use of Commodity Credit Corporation funds to cover Emergency Food Assistance Program storage and distribution costs. TITLE III—Schools and other institutions Sec. 301. Establishment of Food Recovery Liaison. Sec. 302. Amendments to Federal Food Donation Act to require food donations by executive agencies and Congress. Sec. 303. Food and agriculture service learning program. Sec. 304. Modification of National School Lunch Program procurement requirements to encourage purchase of lower-price, nonstandard-size or -shape produce. Sec. 305. Farm to school grant program to improve access to local foods in schools and reduce food waste. TITLE IV—Food date labeling Sec. 401. Definitions. Sec. 402. Quality dates and safety dates. Sec. 403. Misbranding violation for quality dates and safety dates in food labeling. Sec. 404. Regulations and guidance. Sec. 405. Delayed applicability. Sec. 406. Report to Congress. TITLE V—Consumers and local infrastructure Sec. 501. Support for national media campaigns to decrease incidence of food waste. Sec. 502. Increase in resources for community facilities loans directed at composting and anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy operations. Sec. 503. Expansion of rural utilities service water and waste disposal program to provide loans and grants for rural communities to adapt waste disposal facilities to incorporate anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy operations. Sec. 504. Grants for food waste management infrastructure. Sec. 505. Government Accountability Office audit. 2. Definition of Secretary In this Act, the term Secretary I Farms 101. Use of Rural Energy for America Program to reduce food and crop waste (a) Requirements relating to installation of anaerobic digesters Section 9007(c) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 ( 7 U.S.C. 8107(c) (5) Requirements relating to installation of anaerobic digesters In the case of a loan guarantee or grant provided under this subsection to an agricultural producer or rural small business to support the installation of an anaerobic digester that will use food waste in addition to manure to produce renewable energy, the Secretary shall obtain from the recipient of the loan guarantee or grant— (A) a written commitment that the recipient has read and agrees to comply with the Food Recovery Hierarchy of the Environmental Protection Agency, particularly as applied to apparently wholesome food (as defined in section 22(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1791(b) (B) a written end-product recycling plan that provides for the beneficial use of the material resulting from the anaerobic digester, in a manner that meets all applicable Federal, State, and local laws safeguarding human health and the environment. . (b) Funding Section 9007(g)(1) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 ( 7 U.S.C. 8107(g)(1) (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking and (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking fiscal year 2014 and each fiscal year thereafter. each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (F) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter, of which not less than $20,000,000 shall be reserved for use for loan guarantees and grants described in subsection (c)(5). . 102. Farm storage facility loan program Section 1614(a) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 8789(a) to construct or upgrade storage and handling facilities to acquire, construct, or upgrade storage, handling, and transportation facilities, which may include refrigerated vehicles to improve storage and marketing and other means to reduce food waste, 103. Composting as conservation practice (a) Definitions Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3801(a) (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (27) as paragraphs (4) through (28), respectively; and (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) Composting practice The term composting practice (A) an activity (including an activity that does not require the use of a composting facility) to produce compost from organic waste that is— (i) generated on a farm; or (ii) brought to a farm from the nearby community; and (B) the use of compost on a farm to improve water retention and soil health, subject to the condition that such a use shall be in compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws. . (b) Conservation stewardship program Section 1238D(2)(B)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3838d(2)(B)(i) and composting practices agriculture drainage management systems (c) Environmental quality incentives program Section 1240A(4)(A)(ii) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1(4)(A)(ii) , including composting practices (d) Delivery of technical assistance Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3842(h) (4) Development of composting practice standard In addition to conducting a review of any composting facilities practice standard under this subsection, the Secretary shall develop and implement a composting practice standard. . 104. Study and report on methods to decrease incidence of food waste (a) Definition of agricultural product In this section, the term agricultural product agricultural products 7 U.S.C. 1626 (b) Study The Secretary shall conduct a study regarding— (1) new technologies to increase the period during which an agricultural product may be stored before the agricultural product is considered adulterated under State or Federal law; and (2) a method to measure the quantity of agricultural product that is not harvested or sent to market each year by the farms that produce the agricultural product. (c) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes— (1) the results of the study conducted under subsection (b); and (2) the recommendations of the Secretary with respect to methods of decreasing the incidence of food waste. II Retail and restaurants 201. Good Samaritan food donation (a) In general The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1791 (1) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) by striking quality and labeling safety and safety-related labeling (ii) by inserting passage of a date on a date label, surplus, (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) by striking quality and labeling safety and safety-related labeling (ii) by inserting passage of a date on a date label, surplus, (C) in paragraph (3), by striking not required to give anything of monetary value not required to give anything of monetary value or charged a good Samaritan reduced price (D) by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), (8), (9), and (10) as paragraphs (7), (8), (9), (10), and (11), respectively; and (E) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following: (6) Good samaritan reduced price The term good Samaritan reduced price ; and (2) in subsection (c)— (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting or sells at a good Samaritan reduced price donates in good faith (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting or from a sale at a good Samaritan reduced price donation in good faith (C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); (D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) Direct donations to needy individuals (A) In general A qualified direct donor described in subparagraph (B) shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product that the qualified direct donor donates in good faith or sells at a good Samaritan reduced price to a needy individual. (B) Qualified direct donor described A qualified direct donor referred to in subparagraph (A) is a retail grocer, wholesaler, agricultural producer, restaurant, caterer, school food authority, or institution of higher education (as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1002 ; and (E) in paragraph (4) (as redesignated by subparagraph (C)), by striking Paragraphs (1) and (2) Paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) (b) Regulations; guidance Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, issue regulations with respect to the safety and safety-related labeling standards of an apparently wholesome food and an apparently fit grocery product under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1791 (2) promote awareness of food donation under that Act (as amended by subsection (a)); and (3) issue guidance with respect to the amendments made by subsection (a). 202. Report on food donation by retail food stores Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the recommendations of the Secretary with respect to methods of increasing food donation by retail food stores, as defined by the Secretary. 203. Use of Commodity Credit Corporation funds to cover Emergency Food Assistance Program storage and distribution costs Section 204 of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 ( 7 U.S.C. 7508 (1) by striking the section designation and heading and all that follows through available to the States 204. Funds for State storage and distribution costs (a) Authorization (1) Processing, storage, transport, and distribution (A) In general Using funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make available to the States $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter ; (2) in subsection (a)(1)— (A) in the second sentence, by striking Funds appropriated (B) Method of allocation Funds made available ; and (B) in the third sentence, by striking If a State (C) Unused funds If a State ; and (3) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking (b) The value (b) Treatment The value ; and (B) by striking appropriations made or authorized under this section amounts made available under subsection (a)(1) III Schools and other institutions 301. Establishment of Food Recovery Liaison Subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 ( 7 U.S.C. 6901 221. Food Recovery Liaison (a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish within the Office of the Secretary a Food Recovery Liaison to coordinate Federal programs to measure and reduce the incidence of food waste in accordance with this section. (b) Duties The Food Recovery Liaison shall— (1) coordinate food waste reduction efforts with other Federal agencies, including— (A) the Environmental Protection Agency; and (B) the Food and Drug Administration; (2) support and promote Federal programs to measure and reduce the incidence of food waste; (3) provide information to, and serve as a resource for, entities engaged in food recovery concerning the availability of, and eligibility requirements for, participation in Federal programs; (4) raise awareness of food recovery issues in interactions with employees of the Department; and (5) make recommendations with respect to reducing the incidence of food waste. . 302. Amendments to Federal Food Donation Act to require food donations by executive agencies and Congress (a) Purpose Section 2 of the Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 ( Public Law 110–247 42 U.S.C. 1792 encourage require (b) Definitions Section 3 of the Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 ( Public Law 110–247 42 U.S.C. 1792 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) Executive agency The term executive agency . (c) Promoting Federal food donation Section 4 of the Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 ( 42 U.S.C. 1792 (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indenting the subparagraphs appropriately; (B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so redesignated), by striking Not later than $25,000 (1) Requirement Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Food Recovery Act of 2017 ; (C) in subparagraph (A) (as so redesignated), by striking encourages requires (D) by adding at the end the following: (2) Exception Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a contract with an executive agency that has issued a regulation in effect on the date of enactment of the Food Recovery Act of 2017 ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (c) Application to Congress (1) Contracts This Act shall apply to the House of Representatives and to contracts entered into by the House of Representatives, and to the Senate and to contracts entered into by the Senate, in the same manner and to the same extent as this Act applies to an executive agency and to contracts entered into by an executive agency. (2) Administration For purposes of carrying out paragraph (1)— (A) the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives shall be considered to be the head of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Secretary of the Senate shall be considered to be the head of the Senate. (d) Data; reports (1) Data The head of each executive agency shall collect data on the quantity of apparently wholesome food donated in accordance with this Act. (2) Reports Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the head of each executive agency shall submit to Congress a report describing the data collected under paragraph (1). . (d) Authorization of appropriations The Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 ( 42 U.S.C. 1792 5. Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out this Act $10,000,000 for each fiscal year. . 303. Food and agriculture service learning program Section 413 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 ( 7 U.S.C. 7633 (1) in subsection (b)(4), by inserting to promote agricultural education, to raise awareness regarding the consequences of wasted food, and to encourage the implementation of food recovery initiatives to reduce the quantity of wasted food (2) in subsection (c)— (A) in paragraph (2)— (i) in subparagraph (C), by striking and where food comes from; and , where food comes from, the consequences of food waste, and food recovery initiatives; (ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: (E) have the capacity to carry out national or regional projects that include 2 or more States. ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (3) Reservation The majority of the funds made available to carry out this subsection shall be reserved for projects that— (A) are larger in scale as compared to other proposed projects; (B) are national or regional in scope; and (C) include 2 or more States. ; and (3) in subsection (e)(1), by striking $25,000,000, to remain available until expended $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022 304. Modification of National School Lunch Program procurement requirements to encourage purchase of lower-price, nonstandard-size or -shape produce Section 9(a)(4)(C) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1758(a)(4)(C) (ii) in the product specifications and practices required under clause (i), encourage State departments of agriculture and education, school food authorities, local educational agencies, and local processing entities to purchase lower-price, nonstandard-size or -shape produce to be used in school nutrition programs under this Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1771 . 305. Farm to school grant program to improve access to local foods in schools and reduce food waste Section 18(g)(3) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1769(g)(3) (1) in subparagraph (A)(v), by inserting and reducing food waste at both the school and farm levels (2) by adding at the end the following: (D) Priority for projects with food waste plans In making awards under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible schools that have in effect a plan to reduce or recover food waste. . IV Food date labeling 401. Definitions In this title: (1) Administering Secretaries The term administering Secretaries (A) with respect to products described in paragraph (4)(A), the Secretary; and (B) with respect to products described in paragraph (4)(B), the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (2) Food labeler The term food labeler (3) Quality date The term quality date 42 U.S.C. 1791(b) (4) Ready-to-eat product The term ready-to-eat product (A) with respect to a product under the jurisdiction of the Secretary, a product that— (i) is in a form that is edible without additional preparation to achieve food safety and may receive additional preparation for palatability or aesthetic, epicurean, gastronomic, or culinary purposes; and (ii) is— (I) a poultry product (as defined in section 4 of the Poultry Products Inspection Act ( 21 U.S.C. 453 (II) a meat food product (as defined in section 1 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act ( 21 U.S.C. 601 (III) an egg product (as defined in section 4 of the Egg Products Inspection Act ( 21 U.S.C. 1033 (B) with respect to a food (as defined in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 321 (i) a food that is normally eaten in its raw state; or (ii) any other food, including a processed food, for which it is reasonably foreseeable that the food will be eaten without further processing that would significantly minimize biological hazards. (5) Safety date The term safety date 402. Quality dates and safety dates (a) Quality dates (1) In general If a food labeler includes a quality date on food packaging, the label shall use the uniform quality date label phrase under paragraph (2). (2) Uniform phrase The uniform quality date label phrase under this paragraph shall be BEST If Used By (3) Option of labeler The decision to include a quality date on food packaging shall be at the discretion of the food labeler. (b) Safety dates (1) In general The label of a ready-to-eat product that meets the criteria established under paragraph (3)(A) shall include a safety date determined under paragraph (3)(B) that is immediately preceded by the uniform safety date label phrase under paragraph (2). (2) Uniform phrase The uniform safety date label phrase under this paragraph shall be USE By (3) High-risk ready-to-eat products The administering Secretaries, acting jointly, shall issue guidance— (A) establishing criteria for determining the conditions under which ready-to-eat products may have a high level of risk associated with consumption after a certain date; and (B) for determining safety dates for high-risk ready-to-eat products described in subparagraph (A). (c) Quality date and safety date labeling (1) In general The quality date and safety date, as applicable, and immediately adjacent uniform quality date label phrase or safety date label phrase shall be— (A) in single easy-to-read type style; and (B) located in a conspicuous place on the package of the food. (2) Date format Each quality date and safety date shall be stated in terms of day and month and, as appropriate, year. (3) Abbreviations A food labeler may use a standard abbreviation of BB UB (4) Freeze by A food labeler may add or Freeze By (d) Sale or donation after quality date The sale, donation, or use of any product shall not be prohibited based on passage of the quality date of the product. (e) Education Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the administering Secretaries, acting jointly, shall provide consumer education and outreach on the meaning of quality date and safety date food labels. (f) Rule of construction; preemption (1) Rule of construction Nothing in this section prohibits any State or political subdivision of a State from establishing or continuing in effect any requirement that prohibits the sale or donation of foods based on passage of the safety date. (2) Preemption No State or political subdivision of a State may establish or continue in effect any requirement that— (A) relates to the inclusion in food labeling of a quality date or a safety date that is different from or in addition to, or that is otherwise not identical with, the requirements under this section; or (B) prohibits the sale or donation of foods based on passage of the quality date. (3) Enforcement The administering Secretaries, acting jointly and in coordination with the Federal Trade Commission, shall ensure that the uniform quality date label phrase and uniform safety date label phrase are standardized across all food products. (4) Savings Nothing in this Act, any amendment made by this Act, or any standard or requirement imposed pursuant to this Act preempts, displaces, or supplants any State or Federal common law rights or any State or Federal statute creating a remedy for civil relief, including those for civil damage, or a penalty for criminal conduct. (g) Time temperature indicator labels Nothing in this section prohibits or restricts the use of time-temperature indicator labels or similar technology that is consistent with the requirements of this Act. 403. Misbranding violation for quality dates and safety dates in food labeling (a) FDA violations Section 403 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 343 (z) if its labeling is in violation of section 402 of the Food Recovery Act of 2017 . (b) Poultry products Section 4(h) of the Poultry Products Inspection Act ( 21 U.S.C. 453(h) (1) in paragraph (11), by striking or (2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or (3) by adding at the end the following: (13) if it does not bear a label in accordance with section 402 of the Food Recovery Act of 2017 . (c) Meat products Section 1(n) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act ( 21 U.S.C. 601(n) (1) in paragraph (11), by striking or (2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or (3) by adding at the end the following: (13) if it does not bear a label in accordance with section 402 of the Food Recovery Act of 2017 . (d) Egg products Section 7(b) of the Egg Products Inspection Act ( 21 U.S.C. 1036(b) or if it does not bear a label in accordance with section 402 of the Food Recovery Act of 2017 404. Regulations and guidance (a) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the administering Secretaries, acting jointly, shall— (1) promulgate final regulations for carrying out this title and the amendments made by this title (other than section 402(b)(3)); and (2) issue the guidance required by section 402(b)(3). (b) Updates to guidance Not less frequently than once every 4 years, the administering Secretaries, acting jointly, shall review and, as the administering Secretaries determine to be appropriate, update the guidance required by section 402(b)(3). 405. Delayed applicability This title and the amendments made by this title shall apply only with respect to food products that are labeled on or after the date that is 2 years after the date on which final regulations are promulgated under section 404(a)(1). 406. Report to Congress Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the administering Secretaries, acting jointly, shall report to the appropriate committees of Congress on rates of compliance of food labelers with the food date labeling requirements under this title and the amendments made by this title. V Consumers and local infrastructure 501. Support for national media campaigns to decrease incidence of food waste (a) In general The Secretary shall support national media campaigns to decrease the incidence of food waste. (b) Mandatory funding (1) In general The Secretary shall use $8,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out this section for fiscal year 2018. (2) Availability Funds described in paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended. 502. Increase in resources for community facilities loans directed at composting and anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy operations Section 306(a)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(1) 5 percent of the amounts made available for each fiscal year for loans for essential community facilities under the preceding sentence shall be reserved for loans, in accordance with subsection (c)(2), for municipal or county composting, anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy projects, and the conversion of animal waste products into industrial products or into raw materials that can be converted into finished products other than by anaerobic digestion or the production of bioethanol through fermentation. The Secretary shall not make or insure a loan under the preceding sentence to an entity that will use the amounts under the loan for an anaerobic digester that uses solely manure as undigested biomass, and shall give preference to loans under the preceding sentence for anaerobic digesters that use primarily nonedible food, crop waste, or nonedible food and crop waste as undigested biomass. 503. Expansion of rural utilities service water and waste disposal program to provide loans and grants for rural communities to adapt waste disposal facilities to incorporate anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy operations Section 306 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1926 (c) Water or waste disposal loans and grants for projects To incorporate anaerobic digestion food waste-to-Energy operations in waste disposal facilities (1) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning in fiscal year 2017, in addition to any other amounts available for water or waste disposal loans and grants under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a), $50,000,000 of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation for each fiscal year shall be available for those loans and grants, of which the Secretary shall use— (A) $25,000,000 for loans, in accordance with paragraph (2), for the adaptation of waste disposal facilities to incorporate anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy operations; and (B) $25,000,000 for grants, in accordance with paragraph (2), for the adaptation of waste disposal facilities to incorporate anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy operations. (2) Requirements (A) In general A loan or grant is made in accordance with this paragraph if, before making the loan or grant, the Secretary has obtained from the recipient of the loan or grant— (i) a written commitment that the recipient has read and agrees to comply with the Food Recovery Hierarchy of the Environmental Protection Agency, particularly as applied to apparently wholesome food (as defined in section 22(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1791(b) (ii) a written end-product recycling plan that provides for the beneficial use of the material resulting from any anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy operation with respect to which the loan or grant is made, in a manner that meets all applicable Federal, State, and local laws that protect human health and the environment. (B) Limitation A loan or grant under paragraph (1) may not be used for an anaerobic digester that uses solely manure as undigested biomass. (C) Preference The Secretary shall give preference to loans and grants under paragraph (1) for anaerobic digesters that use primarily nonedible food, crop waste, or nonedible food and crop waste as undigested biomass. (3) Availability Funds made available under paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended. . 504. Grants for food waste management infrastructure (a) Grants (1) In general The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall provide grants to reduce food waste in accordance with the Food Recovery Hierarchy of the Environmental Protection Agency (or a successor document), including for— (A) the development and implementation of a State organic waste reduction plan; (B) food waste prevention and food rescue infrastructure facilities, including storage, handling, and transportation facilities; or (C) subject to paragraph (3), large-scale composting or anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy projects, excluding landfills. (2) Preferences In providing grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to projects— (A) (i) for the purpose described in paragraph (1)(A); or (ii) that are consistent with a State organic waste reduction plan; and (B) in the case of a project for the purpose described in paragraph (1)(C), that use food scraps as undigested biomass. (3) Requirement for food waste-to-energy projects To receive a grant under paragraph (1)(C), a large-scale composting or anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy project shall have in effect a written end-product recycling plan that— (A) provides for the use of the material resulting from the project, in accordance with guidelines that the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall establish; and (B) ensures that the use of the material resulting from the project does not create an environmental hazard. (b) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each fiscal year. 505. Government Accountability Office audit (a) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States (referred to in this section as the Comptroller General (b) Requirements The Comptroller General, as part of the audit conducted under subsection (a)— (1) shall— (A) assess the extent to which the estimates described in that subsection provide a valid benchmark for the amount and value of postharvest food loss and waste in the United States; (B) evaluate the reliability of the data, and the validity and accuracy of the assumptions and models, underlying the estimates; and (C) if appropriate, include recommendations to improve the estimates; and (2) if the Comptroller General determines that the estimates described in that subsection are invalid under paragraph (1)(A), may conduct an estimate of postharvest food loss and waste in the United States.

Summary: Food Recovery Act of 2017 This bill provides funding and establishes requirements to reduce food waste and standardize date labeling on food. The bill authorizes grants or loans for: raising awareness about wasted food and food recovery efforts to reduce the quantity of wasted food; reducing food waste at schools and farms; and reducing food waste in accordance with the Food Recovery Hierarchy of the Environmental Protection Agency, including for a state organic waste reduction plan, food waste management infrastructure, and certain composting or anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy projects. The bill provides funds for: (1) state storage and distribution costs under the Emergency Food Assistance Program, and (2) national media campaigns to decrease food waste. The bill also: establishes a Food Recovery Liaison within the Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifies that composting is eligible for support under USDA's conservation programs, expands the liability protections for the donation of food, and requires companies that receive federal food service contracts to donate surplus food to nonprofit organizations that assist food-insecure people. The bill requires date labels on food packaging to include the phrases "best if used by" to indicate food quality and "use by" to warn of food that may be unsafe to eat after a specified date. Labelers may include a quality date on packaging, but must include a safety date on ready-to-eat products. No one may prohibit the sale, donation, or use of a product based on passage of the quality date of the product.