Section 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 require the designation of composting as a conservation practice and activity, and to provide grants and loan guarantees for composting facilities and programs, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Composting as conservation practice
Conservation standards and requirements— 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.”
Conservation stewardship program— Section 1240I(2)(B)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–21(2)(B)(i)) is amended by inserting “and composting practices” after “agriculture drainage management systems”.
Environmental quality incentives program— Section 1240A(6)(A)(ii) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1(6)(A)(ii)) is amended by inserting “, including composting practices” before the semicolon at the end.
Delivery of technical assistance— Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3842(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(5) Development of composting practice standard—In addition to conducting a review under this subsection of any composting facility practice standard established before the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall establish a composting practice standard under the process developed under paragraph (3).”