School Food Recovery Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5459 | Sponsor: Rep. Pingree, Chellie (D-ME)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
School Food Recovery Act of 2021
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide competitive grants and technical assistance for local educational agencies to implement food waste measurement and reporting, prevention, education, and reduction projects.
In awarding grants, USDA must give priority to agencies that agree to use grant funds for carrying out specific projects, including (1) experiential education activities that encourage children enrolled in such agencies to participate in food waste measurement and education; and (2) the establishment of food waste measurement, prevention, and reduction projects with long-term sustainability.
The federal share of project costs may not exceed 75% of the total cost of carrying out such projects.
All projects must comply with the nutrition requirements of the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, including by offering no less than the minimum quantities of required food components.

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 Representatives 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''.

SEC. 2. SCHOOL FOOD WASTE REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
U.S.C. 1769) is amended by inserting before subsection (b) the 
following:
    ``(a) School Food Waste Reduction Grant Program.--
            ``(1) Grant program established.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
                program to make grants, on a competitive basis, to 
                eligible local educational agencies 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, ensure 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 educational agency shall 
        submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
        manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require.
            ``(3) Priority.--In making grants under this subsection, 
        the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible local 
        educational agency that demonstrates in the application under 
        paragraph (2) that such eligible local educational agency will 
        use the grant to--
                    ``(A) carry out experiential education activities 
                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 accordance 
                with the Food Recovery Hierarchy published by the 
                Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
                    ``(C) with respect to food waste prevention and 
                reduction, collaborate with other eligible local 
                educational agencies, tribes, nongovernmental and 
                community-based organizations, and other community 
                partners;
                    ``(D) evaluate the activities described in 
                subparagraphs (A) through (C) and make evaluation 
                plans; and
                    ``(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 reduction project 
                funded through a grant awarded under this subsection 
                shall not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of such 
                food waste reduction project.
                    ``(B) Federal matching.--As a condition 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 governments, nonprofit organizations, and 
                private sources.
            ``(5) Use of funds.--An eligible local educational agency 
        that receives a grant under this section 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.
                    ``(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 students 
                enrolled in such eligible local educational agency.
            ``(6) Requirement.--A food waste measurement and reporting, 
        prevention, education, and reduction project funded by a grant 
        under this subsection 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 components.
            ``(7) Evaluation.--
                    ``(A) Agreement.--As a condition of receiving a 
                grant under this subsection, each eligible local 
                educational agency shall agree to cooperate in an 
                evaluation by the Secretary of the project carried out 
                using grant funds.
                    ``(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 educational agency.--In 
        this subsection, the term `eligible local educational agency' 
        means a local educational agency that participates in 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).''.

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:
            ``(4) food waste measurement, prevention, and reduction.''.
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