I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4327 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the alternative manure 
management program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 23, 2023 
Mr. COSTA (for himself, Ms. PINGREE, and Mr. VALADAO) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the alter-
native manure management program, 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 ‘‘Converting Our Waste 
Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. ALTERNATIVE MANURE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. 
Chapter 5 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 1240S. ALTERNATIVE MANURE MANAGEMENT PRO-
GRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ALTERNATIVE
MANURE
MANAGEMENT 
PROGRAM.—The term ‘alternative manure manage-
ment program’ means the program established under 
subsection (b). 
‘‘(2) COVERED MANAGEMENT MEASURE.—The 
term ‘covered management measure’ means a dairy 
or livestock operation method that is used by an eli-
gible producer to reduce baseline methane emissions 
and, where applicable, improve carbon sequestration 
on the operation of such eligible producer, including 
the measures described in subparagraphs (A) 
through (D) in subsection (f)(2). 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE PRODUCER.—The term ‘eligible 
producer’ means a dairy or livestock producer— 
‘‘(A) who agrees to reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions by adopting at least 1 covered man-
agement measure as an alternative or com-
plement to anaerobic systems that capture 
methane emissions; 
‘‘(B) whose baseline manure management 
practices prior to enrollment in the alternative 
manure management program include the an-
aerobic decomposition of volatile solids stored in 
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‘‘(B) greenhouse gas emissions reductions; 
and 
‘‘(C) the overall environmental and public 
health benefits. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding contracts under 
this section, the Secretary, using the criteria devel-
oped under paragraph (1), shall give priority to con-
tract offers that address air quality, water quality, 
or other public health concerns associated with dairy 
and livestock operations located near low-income or 
underserved communities. 
‘‘(3) GROUPING OF CONTRACT OFFERS.—The 
Secretary may group and evaluate contract offers 
relative to other contract offers for similar farming 
operations. 
‘‘(4) GEOGRAPHICAL DIVERSITY.—In awarding 
contracts under this section, the Secretary shall en-
sure geographical diversity. 
‘‘(f) CONTRACT PROVISIONS.— 
‘‘(1) TERM.—A contract awarded under this 
section shall have a term that does not exceed 3 
years. 
‘‘(2) COVERED
MANAGEMENT
MEASURES.— 
Each eligible producer requesting funding under the 
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alternative manure management program shall im-
plement at least one of the following: 
‘‘(A) With respect to pasture-based man-
agement— 
‘‘(i) adopting pasture-based manage-
ment; 
‘‘(ii) converting a non-pasture dairy or 
livestock operation to pasture-based man-
agement; 
‘‘(iii) increasing the amount of time 
livestock spend at pasture at an existing 
pasture operation; or 
‘‘(iv) improving pasture-based man-
agement, including transitioning to man-
agement-intensive rotational grazing, as 
defined in section 1240L(d). 
‘‘(B) Adopting alternative manure treat-
ment and storage practices, including— 
‘‘(i) the installation of a compost-bed-
ded pack barn that composts manure; 
‘‘(ii) the installation of a slatted floor 
pit storage manure collection that is 
cleaned out at least once a month; or 
‘‘(iii) other similar practices, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
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‘‘(C) Adopting a solid separation system— 
‘‘(i) or— 
‘‘(I) installing a new solid separa-
tion system that has a significantly 
higher separation efficiency than any 
existing solid separation system; or 
‘‘(II) developing or retrofitting a 
manure management system that pri-
marily avoids wet handling infrastruc-
ture; and 
‘‘(ii) in conjunction with one or more 
of the following management measures: 
‘‘(I) 
Open 
solar 
drying 
or 
composting of manure onsite. 
‘‘(II) Solar drying in an enclosed 
environment. 
‘‘(III) Forced evaporation with 
natural-gas fueled dryers. 
‘‘(IV) Storage of manure in 
unconfined piles or stacks. 
‘‘(V) Composting in an enclosed 
vessel, with forced aeration and con-
tinuous mixing. 
‘‘(VI) Composting in piles with 
forced aeration without mixing. 
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‘‘(VII) Composting in intensive 
windrows with regular turning for 
mixing and aeration. 
‘‘(VIII) Composting in passive 
windrows with infrequent turning for 
mixing and aeration. 
‘‘(IX) 
Vermiculture 
or 
Vermifiltration. 
‘‘(X) Other similar management 
measures, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(D) Adopting scrape technologies, includ-
ing vacuum technologies, in conjunction with 
one of the management measures listed in sub-
clauses (I) through (IX) of subparagraph 
(C)(ii). 
‘‘(3) DUTIES OF ELIGIBLE PRODUCERS UNDER 
CONTRACT.—To receive payments under the alter-
native manure management program, an eligible 
producer shall— 
‘‘(A) implement one or more covered man-
agement measures; 
‘‘(B) supply information as required by the 
Secretary to determine compliance with the re-
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quirements of the alternative manure manage-
ment program; and 
‘‘(C) comply with such additional provi-
sions as the Secretary determines are necessary 
to carry out the alternative manure manage-
ment program. 
‘‘(g) PAYMENTS TO ELIGIBLE PRODUCERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—During the fiscal years 
2024 through 2029, the Secretary shall provide pay-
ments to eligible producers that enter into contracts 
with the Secretary under the alternative manure 
management program. 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY OF PAYMENTS.—Payments 
provided to an eligible producer under this section 
may be used to implement one or more covered man-
agement measures. 
‘‘(3) COST-SHARING.— 
‘‘(A) 
FEDERAL
SHARE.—The 
Federal 
share of the costs associated with planning, de-
sign, materials, equipment, installation, labor, 
management, maintenance, and training related 
to implementing a covered management meas-
ure under the alternative manure management 
program shall not exceed 90 percent. 
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‘‘(B) NON-FEDERAL
SHARE.—The non- 
Federal share of the costs described in subpara-
graph (A) may include in-kind contributions 
from eligible producers that enter into a con-
tract under the alternative manure management 
program. 
‘‘(4) LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS.—A person or 
legal entity (including a joint venture and a general 
partnership) may not receive, directly or indirectly, 
payments under the alternative manure management 
program that exceed $825,000 during any 5-year pe-
riod. 
‘‘(5) ADVANCED
PAYMENTS.—The Secretary 
shall provide at least 50 percent of the amount of 
total payments to an eligible producer in advance for 
all costs related to— 
‘‘(A) purchasing or contracting materials 
and equipment; or 
‘‘(B) any technical assistance provided by 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(h) MODIFICATION
OR TERMINATION
OF CON-
TRACTS.— 
‘‘(1) VOLUNTARY
MODIFICATION
OR
TERMI-
NATION.—The Secretary may modify or terminate a 
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