I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5459 
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require 
the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a grant program to make 
grants to eligible local educational agencies to carry out food waste 
reduction programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 
Ms. PINGREE (for herself, Mr. NEWHOUSE, and Ms. BONAMICI) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Labor 
A BILL 
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
Act to require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry 
out a grant program to make grants to eligible local 
educational agencies to carry out food waste reduction 
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 ‘‘School Food Recovery 
Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. SCHOOL FOOD WASTE REDUCTION GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is amended by inserting be-
fore subsection (b) the following: 
‘‘(a) SCHOOL FOOD WASTE REDUCTION GRANT PRO-
GRAM.— 
‘‘(1) GRANT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
carry out a program to make grants, on a com-
petitive basis, to eligible local educational agen-
cies to carry out food waste measurement and 
reporting, prevention, education, and reduction 
projects. 
‘‘(B) REGIONAL
BALANCE.—In awarding 
grants under this subsection, the Secretary 
shall, to the maximum extent practicable, en-
sure that— 
‘‘(i) a grant is awarded to an eligible 
local educational agency in each region 
served by the Administrator of the Food 
and Nutrition Service; and 
‘‘(ii) equitable treatment of rural, 
urban, and tribal communities. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this subsection, an eligible local edu-
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cational agency shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—In making grants under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to an eli-
gible local educational agency that demonstrates in 
the application under paragraph (2) that such eligi-
ble local educational agency will use the grant to— 
‘‘(A) carry out experiential education ac-
tivities that encourage children enrolled in such 
eligible local educational agency to participate 
in food waste measurement and education; 
‘‘(B) prioritize the best use of food in ac-
cordance with the Food Recovery Hierarchy 
published by the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency; 
‘‘(C) with respect to food waste prevention 
and reduction, collaborate with other eligible 
local educational agencies, tribes, nongovern-
mental and community-based organizations, 
and other community partners; 
‘‘(D) evaluate the activities described in 
subparagraphs (A) through (C) and make eval-
uation plans; and 
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‘‘(E) establish a food waste measurement, 
prevention, and reduction project with long- 
term sustainability. 
‘‘(4) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of 
a food waste measurement, prevention, and re-
duction project funded through a grant awarded 
under this subsection shall not exceed 75 per-
cent of the total cost of such food waste reduc-
tion project. 
‘‘(B) FEDERAL MATCHING.—As a condi-
tion of receiving a grant under this subsection, 
an eligible local educational agency shall provide 
matching funds in the form of cash or in-kind 
contributions, including facilities, equipment, or 
services provided by State and local govern-
ments, nonprofit organizations, and private 
sources. 
‘‘(5) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible local edu-
cational agency that receives a grant under this sec-
tion shall use funds under such grant to carry out 
at least one of the following: 
‘‘(A) Planning a food waste measurement, 
prevention, and reduction project. 
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‘‘(B) Carrying out activities under such a 
project. 
‘‘(C) Providing training to support such a 
project. 
‘‘(D) Purchasing equipment to support 
such a project. 
‘‘(E) Offering food waste education to stu-
dents enrolled in such eligible local educational 
agency. 
‘‘(6) REQUIREMENT.—A food waste measure-
ment and reporting, prevention, education, and re-
duction project funded by a grant under this sub-
section shall comply with the nutrition requirements 
of the school lunch program under this Act or the 
school breakfast program established under section 4 
of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1773), as applicable, including by offering no less 
than the minimum quantities of required food com-
ponents. 
‘‘(7) EVALUATION.— 
‘‘(A) AGREEMENT.—As a condition of re-
ceiving a grant under this subsection, each eli-
gible local educational agency shall agree to co-
operate in an evaluation by the Secretary of the 
project carried out using grant funds. 
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‘‘(B) PERIODIC
EVALUATION.—Not later 
than 2 years after the date of the enactment of 
this paragraph and every 2 years thereafter, the 
Secretary shall carry out an evaluation of the 
grants made under this section that includes— 
‘‘(i) the amount of Federal funds used 
to carry out such grants; and 
‘‘(ii) an evaluation of the outcomes of 
the projects carried out pursuant to such 
grants. 
‘‘(8) DEFINITION
OF
ELIGIBLE
LOCAL
EDU-
CATIONAL AGENCY.—In this subsection, the term ‘el-
igible local educational agency’ means a local edu-
cational agency that participates in the school lunch 
program under this Act or the school breakfast pro-
gram established under section 4 of the Child Nutri-
tion Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).’’. 
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 
Section 21(b) of the Richard B. Russell National 
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769b–1(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(4) food waste measurement, prevention, and 
reduction.’’. 
Æ 
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