1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion Of Sustainable Techniques Act” or the “COMPOST Act” .
Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion Of Sustainable Techniques Act
A BILL
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the designation of composting as a conservation practice and conservation activity, and for other purposes.
2. Findings
Congress finds the following:
Composting is one of the most environmentally friendly means to dispose of food waste and other organic wastes.
Composting not only causes less nutrient pollution of surface and ground water and emits a smaller quantity of greenhouse gases compared to alternative disposal methods, but also yields a valuable soil amendment that enhances soil health and fertility and agricultural resilience to the impacts of climate change.
It is critical for the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide technical and financial support to producers in the on-farm production of compost from on-farm and off-farm organic byproducts, and the utilization of compost in accordance with sound soil health and nutrition management.
3. Composting as conservation practice
Section 1241(j) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(j)) is amended—
by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph:
“(2) Composting as conservation practice and activity
“(A) In general—The Secretary shall by regulation provide that composting is a conservation 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 activity that does not require the use of a composting facility) to produce compost from organic waste that is—
“(aa) generated on a farm; or
“(bb) brought to a farm from a nearby community and used to produce compost on that farm; and
“(II) the use and active management of compost on a farm, in accordance with any applicable Federal, State, or local law, to improve water retention and soil health.
“(ii) Determination of nearby communities—The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall issue regulations for determining whether a community is nearby for purposes of clause (i)(I) which shall ensure that bringing organic waste from the community to the farm to produce compost results in a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.”