I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4443 
To require the designation of composting as a conservation practice and 
activity, and to provide grants and loan guarantees for composting facili-
ties and programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 16, 2021 
Ms. BROWNLEY (for herself, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. KUSTER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 
CICILLINE, and Ms. BONAMICI) 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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cultivating Organic 
Matter through the Promotion Of Sustainable Techniques 
Act’’ or the ‘‘COMPOST Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. COMPOSTING AS CONSERVATION PRACTICE. 
(a) CONSERVATION
STANDARDS
AND
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Section 1241(j) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(j)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-
graph (3); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) COMPOSTING AS CONSERVATION PRACTICE 
AND ACTIVITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall by 
regulation provide that composting is a con-
servation 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 ac-
tivity that does not require the use of 
a composting facility) to produce com-
post from organic waste that is— 
‘‘(aa) generated on a farm; 
or 
‘‘(bb) brought to a farm 
from a nearby community and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
used to produce compost on that 
farm; and 
‘‘(II) the use and active manage-
ment of compost on a farm, in accord-
ance with any applicable Federal, 
State, or local law, to improve water 
retention and soil health. 
‘‘(ii) DETERMINATION
OF
NEARBY 
COMMUNITIES.—The Secretary, in con-
sultation with the Administrator of the En-
vironmental Protection Agency, shall issue 
regulations for determining whether a com-
munity is nearby for purposes of clause 
(i)(I), which shall ensure that bringing or-
ganic waste from the community to the 
farm to produce compost results in a net 
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.’’. 
(b) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.—Sec-
tion 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 man-
agement systems’’. 
(c) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PRO-
GRAM.—Section 1240A(6)(A)(ii) of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1(6)(A)(ii)) is amended by in-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
serting ‘‘, including composting practices’’ before the semi-
colon 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 en-
actment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall estab-
lish a composting practice standard under the proc-
ess developed under paragraph (3).’’. 
SEC. 3. COMPOSTING GRANT AND LOAN GUARANTEE PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 310I (7 U.S.C. 1936) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 
310J. 
GRANTS 
AND 
LOAN 
GUARANTEES 
FOR 
COMPOSTING PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency, shall establish and carry out a program to award 
grants and loan guarantees, on a competitive basis, for 
projects that expand access to food waste composting. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) AMOUNT.— 
‘‘(A) COST SHARE.—The total amount of 
grant funds awarded for a project under this 
section shall not exceed 75 percent of the cost 
of the project for which the grant is awarded, 
as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) MAXIMUM.—The total amount of 
grant funds awarded for a project under this 
subsection shall not exceed $5,000,000. 
‘‘(2) ALLOCATION.—Of funds made available to 
carry out this subsection in each fiscal year, the Sec-
retary shall allocate not less than 25 percent to 
projects that do not include the use of centralized 
commercial composting, to the extent there are suffi-
cient applications for such projects. 
‘‘(3) TIMELINE.—An entity receiving a grant 
under this subsection shall fully expend the awarded 
grant funds within 3 years of receiving the funds. 
‘‘(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Secretary may 
award a grant under this section to any of the fol-
lowing entities: 
‘‘(A) A State, local, territorial, or Tribal 
government. 
‘‘(B) A local educational agency (as de-
fined in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
7801)). 
‘‘(C) An institution of higher education. 
‘‘(D) A non-profit organization. 
‘‘(E) A farmer or rancher. 
‘‘(F) A consortium of any of the entities 
described in subparagraphs (A) through (E). 
‘‘(G) One or more of any of the entities de-
scribed in subparagraphs (A) through (F), in 
coordination with a for-profit organization. 
‘‘(c) LOAN GUARANTEES.— 
‘‘(1) AMOUNT.— 
‘‘(A) COST
SHARE.—The Secretary may 
award a loan guarantee under this section in an 
amount that does not exceed 80 percent of the 
cost of a project that is eligible for assistance 
under this section, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(B) MAXIMUM.—The Secretary may not 
provide a loan guarantee under this section in 
an amount that exceeds $5,000,000. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Secretary may 
award a loan guarantee under this section to a for- 
profit organization, farmer, or rancher that dem-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
onstrates successful prior experience in developing, 
managing, and marketing composting facilities. 
‘‘(d) ELIGIBLE
PROJECTS.—The Secretary may 
award grants and loan guarantees under this section for 
projects to carry out the following: 
‘‘(1) Composting facility or site permitting, 
planning, and construction. 
‘‘(2) Acquisition of machinery, equipment, and 
other physical necessities required to operate a 
composting facility, system, or program, except 
depackaging equipment. 
‘‘(3) Activities to increase the production capac-
ity throughput of a composting facility. 
‘‘(4) Implementation of onsite composting sys-
tems and programs (such as home composting pro-
grams, 
community 
garden 
and 
urban 
farm 
composting, and other onsite composting systems at 
institutions, nonprofits, and businesses). 
‘‘(5) Projects that are based on a distributed 
infrastructure strategy (such as a strategy that in-
corporates a mix or choice of home composting, farm 
and ranch composting, onsite composting, commu-
nity-scale composting, or centralized commercial 
composting). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(6) Collection of organic waste intended for 
processing at a composting facility or system, or 
through a composting program, including curbside 
pick-up programs, community drop-off programs, 
and facility- or event-specific programs (such as pro-
grams at schools, restaurants, stadiums, or fes-
tivals). 
‘‘(7) Activities for land-based compost applica-
tion, including compost application on a farm or 
ranch. 
‘‘(8) Market development projects that create a 
demand for compost product or increase commercial 
and residential participation in composting. 
‘‘(e) REQUIREMENTS.—An eligible entity applying for 
a grant or loan guarantee under this section shall dem-
onstrate that the project for which such assistance is 
sought— 
‘‘(1) will— 
‘‘(A) result in composting of food waste 
(which may include such composting in com-
bination with non-food organic waste); 
‘‘(B) result in increased total capacity to 
accept and process food waste into finished 
compost product; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(C) include at least one operator of a fa-
cility or system, if applicable, who is trained on 
best management practices for composting 
(such as odor, vector, pathogen, and contami-
nant control practices); 
‘‘(2) in the case of a market development 
project, is likely to create sufficient demand to in-
crease total capacity, in the targeted market, to ac-
cept and process food waste into high-quality fin-
ished compost; or 
‘‘(3) in the case of land-based compost applica-
tion activities, is consistent with any applicable re-
quirements pursuant to section 1241(j) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985. 
‘‘(f) PRIORITY FACTORS.—In awarding grants and 
loan guarantees under this section, the Secretary shall 
prioritize projects that include the greatest number of the 
following factors: 
‘‘(1) The project is located in or serving a loca-
tion with significant access to food waste and no or 
limited prior access to food waste composting. 
‘‘(2) The project demonstrates the potential to 
create new capacity for the volume or weight of food 
waste collected and processed, or make significant 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
gains in the number of people with access to food 
waste composting facilities or systems. 
‘‘(3) The project includes a demonstrated plan 
for following best management practices and pro-
ducing a high-quality compost product. 
‘‘(4) The project incorporates the participation 
of small and diverse businesses (such as minority-, 
woman-, and veteran-owned businesses certified by 
the Small Business Administration or under a State 
program or another recognized certification program 
and other businesses led by Black people, Indigenous 
people, or other people of color). 
‘‘(5) The project creates opportunities for hir-
ing and leadership development practices that are in-
clusive and provide living wages. 
‘‘(6) The project serves disadvantaged and low- 
income communities, engages Black farmers, Indige-
nous farmers, and other farmers of color, or incor-
porates an environmental justice plan or principles. 
‘‘(7) The project is for a facility or system that 
accepts or plans to accept and process only source 
separated organics. 
‘‘(g) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may award only 
one grant or loan guarantee under this section for any 
project. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) SOURCE SEPARATED ORGANICS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘source sep-
arated organics’ means organic waste that is 
separated from other waste by the waste gener-
ator. 
‘‘(B) INCLUSION.—The term ‘source sepa-
rated organics’ includes materials that are cer-
tified to meet ASTM standard D6400 or 
D6868. 
‘‘(C) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘source sepa-
rated organics’ excludes mixed solid waste. 
‘‘(2) 
CENTRALIZED
COMMERCIAL 
COMPOSTING.—The term ‘centralized commercial 
composting’ means a regional composting facility 
that produces at least 10,000 tons of compost annu-
ally. 
‘‘(i) FUNDING.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this section $200,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2022 through 2031.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:27 Jul 24, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4443.IH
H4443
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS