I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2883 
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activities to reduce 
food loss and waste, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 10, 2025 
Ms. PINGREE (for herself and Mr. LAWLER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to 
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activi-
ties to reduce food loss and waste, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘New Opportunities for 
Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and Education To 
Overcome Waste Act,’’ or the ‘‘NO TIME TO Waste Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) 
COMMISSIONER.—The 
term 
‘‘Commis-
sioner’’ means the Commissioner of Food and 
Drugs. 
(3) FOOD.—The term ‘‘food’’ means any raw, 
cooked, processed, or prepared substance, ice, bev-
erage, or ingredient used or intended for use in 
whole or in part for human consumption. 
(4) FOOD LOSS.—The term ‘‘food loss’’ means, 
with respect to food, that the food does not reach a 
consumer as a result of an issue in the production, 
storage, processing, or distribution phase. 
(5) FOOD RECOVERY.—The term ‘‘food recov-
ery’’ means the collection of wholesome food that 
would otherwise go to waste and the redistribution 
of that food to feed people. 
(6) FOOD
SPOILAGE.—The term ‘‘food spoil-
age’’ means a process or change that renders a food 
product undesirable or unacceptable for human con-
sumption. 
(7) FOOD
WASTE.—The term ‘‘food waste’’ 
means, with respect to food, that the food is in-
tended for human consumption but is unconsumed 
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by humans for any reason at the retail or consump-
tion phase. 
(8) LIAISON.—The term ‘‘Liaison’’ means the 
Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison established 
under section 224 of the Department of Agriculture 
Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6924). 
(9) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(10) UPCYCLED
FOOD
PRODUCT.—The term 
‘‘upcycled food product’’ means a product that— 
(A) is created from surplus food, unmar-
ketable food, or edible or inedible food byprod-
ucts; and 
(B) is made with ingredients that— 
(i) otherwise would not have gone to 
human consumption; 
(ii) are sourced and produced using 
supply chains for which upstream data can 
be verified and validated for accuracy; and 
(iii) have a positive impact on the en-
vironment. 
SEC. 3. OFFICE OF FOOD LOSS AND WASTE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
in the Department of Agriculture an Office of Food Loss 
and Waste (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Office’’). 
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(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Office shall be respon-
sible for— 
(1) supporting the role and responsibilities of 
the Liaison; 
(2) comprehensive research on methods to 
quantify on-farm food loss and supply chain food 
loss; 
(3) research on new technologies to reduce food 
loss and food waste; 
(4) quantifying the impact of food waste reduc-
tion policies on greenhouse gas emissions reductions; 
(5) submitting to Congress and making publicly 
available reports describing the progress of the 
United States in advancing toward or achieving the 
goal of reducing food loss and food waste by 50 per-
cent, compared to 2016 levels, by 2030; 
(6) publishing reports to Congress and to the 
public for the purpose of engaging with educational 
campaigns relating to food loss and food waste; 
(7) carrying out the grant program under sub-
section (d); 
(8) contributing to an assessment relating to 
how food loss and food waste affects climate change, 
food and nutrition security, and public health; 
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(9) creating and distributing tools, resources, 
and publications— 
(A) to support efforts and measures to re-
duce and prevent food loss and food waste; and 
(B) to contribute to increased education 
relating to food loss and food waste for private 
entities, nonprofit and community-based organi-
zations, and individuals; 
(10) tracking and assessing programs across 
Federal agencies to advance research relating to 
food loss and food waste; 
(11) analyzing food loss and food waste policy 
data and establishing and disseminating model poli-
cies for municipal, local, State, territorial, and Trib-
al governments that are proven to reduce food loss 
or food waste; 
(12) recommending new regulations, invest-
ments, or policies to the Liaison and the Secretary 
to address new identified gaps on preventing and re-
ducing food loss and food waste; and 
(13) carrying out such other activities as the 
Secretary or the Liaison determine to be appro-
priate. 
(c) PARTNERSHIPS.—In carrying out the responsibil-
ities described in subsection (b), the Secretary, in con-
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sultation with other Federal agencies, the Liaison, and the 
Office, shall establish partnerships with regional partner 
institutions to plan, conduct, and arrange for public re-
search, data, education, and recommendations relating to 
food loss and food waste prevention and reduction and 
food recovery issues locally, regionally, and nationally. 
(d) GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Office shall establish a 
grant program to support collecting data on existing 
State and local food loss and food waste policies. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—An entity eligible to receive 
a grant under paragraph (1) is— 
(A) a municipal, local, State, or Tribal 
government; 
(B) a partnership of 1 or more govern-
ments described in subparagraph (A) and 1 or 
more nonprofit organizations; or 
(C) a partnership of 2 or more— 
(i) governments described in subpara-
graph (A); or 
(ii) nonprofit organizations. 
(3) COLLABORATION.—An entity that receives a 
grant under paragraph (1) may collaborate with 1 or 
more nonprofit, private, or other organizations in 
carrying out activities using the grant funds. 
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(4) PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.—A data collec-
tion project carried out using a grant under para-
graph (1) shall— 
(A) be carried out for not longer than 3 
years; and 
(B) include the provision of data collected 
under the project to the Office. 
(5) DATA
REQUIREMENTS.—Data collected 
under a project carried out using a grant under 
paragraph (1) shall provide rigorous evidence of the 
impact of food loss and food waste policies, which 
may include— 
(A) estimates of the quantity of the reduc-
tion of food loss and food waste after the imple-
mentation of a policy; 
(B) where relevant, estimates of the quan-
tity of food loss and food waste in a similar 
community that is not subject to the policy; and 
(C) the economic benefits and impacts re-
alized from food that is recovered, upcycled, re-
used, or recycled. 
(6) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—An entity that 
receives a grant under paragraph (1) shall provide 
funds, in-kind contributions, or a combination of 
both from sources other than funds provided 
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through the grant in an amount equal to not less 
than 10 percent of the amount of the grant, which 
may include private funding or other sources of rev-
enue, as determined by the Secretary. 
(7) MODEL POLICIES.—After the Office receives 
the data collected under the grant program under 
this paragraph, the Office shall analyze the data and 
establish model policies for municipal, local, State, 
and Tribal governments that are proven to reduce 
food waste. 
(e) AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Office $1,500,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2026 through 2030. 
(2) GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out the grant program 
under subsection (d) $2,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2026 through 2030. 
(B) 
ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS.—Of 
the 
amount appropriated under subparagraph (A), 
the Secretary may retain not more than 4 per-
cent to pay administrative costs incurred by the 
Secretary in carrying out subsection (d). 
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SEC. 4. IMPROVING COORDINATION TO PREVENT AND RE-
DUCE FOOD LOSS AND WASTE. 
(a) REGIONAL COORDINATORS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
in the Department of Agriculture regional coordina-
tors. 
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The regional coordina-
tors established under paragraph (1) shall be re-
sponsible for— 
(A) partnering with food producers, food 
processors, distributors, and food recovery orga-
nizations and acting as regional points of con-
tact to facilitate real-time food recovery; 
(B) understanding and developing the ca-
pacity needed for ongoing food recovery; 
(C) providing technical support to food re-
covery organizations to improve the ability of 
the food recovery organizations to pick up sur-
plus food, process that food, and deliver that 
food to populations or communities; and 
(D) engaging with Department of Agri-
culture regional food business centers to iden-
tify opportunities for synergy and alignment 
with those centers. 
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(3) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this subsection $1,000,000. 
(b) FOOD RECOVERY
AND DISTRIBUTION INFRA-
STRUCTURE
SUPPORT
AND
COORDINATION
BLOCK 
GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in coordina-
tion with the Office of Food Loss and Waste estab-
lished under section 3, shall establish as part of the 
program under section 203D(d) of the Emergency 
Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7507(d)) a 
program to award annual block grants to States and 
Indian Tribes to carry out projects to develop and 
support food recovery infrastructure and innovative 
food distribution models. 
(2) DISTRIBUTION.—A State shall distribute a 
block grant received under paragraph (1) to applica-
ble food recovery organizations and local govern-
ments to address any gaps in food recovery infra-
structure, including— 
(A) storage and capacity of processing in-
frastructure equipment and facilities; 
(B) temperature-controlled food distribu-
tion infrastructure; 
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(C) technological solutions supporting food 
recovery, such as real-time updates to connect 
organizations that have surplus food with orga-
nizations that distribute surplus food; and 
(D) support of salaries, wages, and bene-
fits for food recovery organizations. 
(3) COORDINATION.—In establishing the pro-
gram under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall co-
ordinate with other Department of Agriculture agen-
cies and programs, including— 
(A) the Agricultural Marketing Service; 
(B) the Emergency Food Assistance Pro-
gram Reach and Resiliency Grants; and 
(C) such other agencies and programs as 
the Secretary determines to be appropriate. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2026 through 2030. 
SEC. 5. STRENGTHENING GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO 
FOOD LOSS AND WASTE. 
(a) INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION ON FOOD LOSS 
AND WASTE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in collabora-
tion with the Administrator and the Commissioner, 
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shall collaborate to carry out the agreement relative 
to cooperation and coordination on food loss and 
waste signed by those officials on December 17, 
2020. 
(2) REPORTS.—Every year, the Secretary, act-
ing through the Liaison and the Office of Food Loss 
and Waste established under section 3, in consulta-
tion with the Administrator and the Commissioner, 
shall submit to Congress and make publicly available 
a report describing the progress of the Secretary in 
carrying out the agreement described in paragraph 
(1). 
(3) INTERAGENCY ENGAGEMENT.—Pursuant to 
paragraph (1), the Secretary, the Administrator, and 
the Commissioner shall engage with the heads of 
other Federal departments and agencies, including 
the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Edu-
cation, the Secretary of Transportation, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security, the Administrator of 
General Services, and such other Federal depart-
ments and agencies as the Secretary, the Adminis-
trator, and the Commissioner determine to be appro-
priate, to expand work on food loss and food waste. 
(4) CONSULTATION.— 
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
consult with, and receive advice from, rep-
resentatives described in subparagraph (B) re-
lating to— 
(i) programming and policy issues re-
lating to understanding existing and future 
challenges relating to food loss and food 
waste; 
(ii) acquiring the latest data relating 
to food loss and food waste; 
(iii) the latest innovative solutions re-
lating to food loss and food waste from 
leading experts; and 
(iv) sharing and developing procure-
ment best practices that will assist the 
heads of Federal departments and agencies 
described in paragraph (3) in— 
(I) preventing food loss and 
waste; 
(II) reducing food loss and food 
waste; 
(III) leading by example in ad-
dressing issues relating to food loss 
and food waste; and 
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(IV) engaging contractors in re-
ducing food loss and food waste in the 
operations of the contractors. 
(B) REPRESENTATIVES.—The representa-
tives referred to in subparagraph (A) are rep-
resentatives of— 
(i) the private sector; 
(ii) agricultural producers; 
(iii) food industry members, such as 
food safety trainers, food aggregators and 
processors, food safety professionals, retail-
ers, and food service entities; 
(iv) nonprofit organizations; 
(v) food recovery organizations of 
varying sizes; and 
(vi) any other sector, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
(C) REPRESENTATION OF SMALLER PRO-
DUCERS AND FOOD INSECURE COMMUNITIES.— 
In consulting and receiving advice under sub-
paragraph (A), the Secretary shall ensure par-
ticipation by smaller producers and organiza-
tions from communities most impacted by food 
and nutrition insecurity and food loss and food 
waste issues. 
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(D) FORMS OF CONSULTATION.—The Sec-
retary may consult and receive advice under 
subparagraph (A) through— 
(i) a meeting through which input is 
sought, such as a workshop, town hall 
meeting, or listening session; 
(ii) a meeting described in clause (i) 
with an existing group formed by rep-
resentatives described in subparagraph 
(B); and 
(iii) such other means as the Sec-
retary determines to be appropriate. 
(E) INTERAGENCY
MEETINGS.—The Sec-
retary shall host quarterly meetings with the 
Administrator, the Commissioner, and the 
heads of other Federal agencies for the purpose 
of sharing communications relating to consulta-
tion and advice received under subparagraph 
(A) with those officials regularly. 
(F) FACA EXEMPTION.—Chapter 10 of 
title 5, United States Code (commonly referred 
to as the ‘‘Federal Advisory Committee Act’’), 
shall not apply to any group formed for pur-
poses of consultation or providing advice under 
this paragraph. 
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(5) CONTINUATION
OF
EFFECT.—Nothing in 
the subsection shall be affected by the expiration of 
the agreement described in paragraph (1). 
(6) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this subsection $1,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030. 
(b) FEDERAL CONTRACTORS.—Section 4 of the Fed-
eral Food Donation Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 1792) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘180 days’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘the Federal’’ and inserting ‘‘180 days 
after the date of enactment of the New Oppor-
tunities for Technological Innovation, Mitiga-
tion, and Education To Overcome Waste Act, 
the Federal’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘encourages’’ and in-
serting ‘‘requires’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semi-
colon; 
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
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(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) requires the contractor to submit to the 
applicable executive agency a report describing— 
‘‘(A) efforts and actions to prevent and re-
duce food loss and food waste (as those terms 
are defined in section 2 of the New Opportuni-
ties for Technological Innovation, Mitigation, 
and Education To Overcome Waste Act); 
‘‘(B) food waste (as so defined) through 
activities carried out under the contract; and 
‘‘(C) food donated as described in para-
graph (1).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Every 2 years, each 
executive agency shall submit to Congress reports describ-
ing the matters reported to the executive agency under 
subsection (a)(3).’’. 
(c) STRENGTHENING FOOD LOSS AND WASTE RE-
SEARCH AT THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.— 
(1) CRITICAL
AGRICULTURE
RESEARCH
AND 
EXTENSION.—In awarding grants under the critical 
agriculture research and extension crosscutting pro-
gram area priority established by the Secretary 
under subsection (b) of the Competitive, Special, and 
Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)), 
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the Secretary shall give priority to grants to address 
food loss and food waste. 
(2) INTER-DISCIPLINARY ENGAGEMENT IN ANI-
MAL SYSTEMS.—In awarding grants under the inter- 
disciplinary engagement in animal systems cross-
cutting program area priority established by the Sec-
retary under subsection (b) of the Competitive, Spe-
cial, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 
3157(b)), the Secretary shall give priority to grants 
to address food loss and food waste. 
(3) ANIMAL NUTRITION, GROWTH, AND LACTA-
TION.—In awarding grants under the animal nutri-
tion, growth, and lactation emphasis area program 
established by the Secretary under subsection (b) of 
the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research 
Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)), the Secretary shall 
give priority to grants— 
(A) to reduce losses due to production inef-
ficiencies, including on-farm milk loss; and 
(B) to use wholesome uneaten food and 
food processing byproducts from the human 
food system as feed ingredients. 
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SEC. 6. COMPOSTING AND FOOD WASTE REDUCTION PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 222(d)(2) of the Department of Agriculture 
Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6923(d)(2)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘local or 
municipal governments’’ and inserting ‘‘State, local, 
municipal, or Tribal governments’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (C), by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(iv) GUIDANCE.—The Secretary shall 
publish guidance for applying for pilot 
projects under this paragraph for appli-
cants that lack resources to obtain tech-
nical assistance in preparing an application 
to assist those applicants in preparing an 
application, particularly to carry out a 
pilot project for the reduction of food loss 
and food waste (as those terms are defined 
in section 2 of the New Opportunities for 
Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and 
Education 
To 
Overcome 
Waste 
Act) 
through means other than composting. 
‘‘(v) PERIOD FOR SUBMISSION OF AP-
PLICATIONS.—The Secretary shall accept 
submissions 
of 
applications 
for 
pilot 
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