Zero Food Waste Act
Sponsored By: Representative Brownley
Introduced
Summary
Cut U.S. food waste 50 percent by 2035. This bill would create an EPA-run grant program to track and reduce food waste and would fund it at $650 million per year from 2026 through 2035.
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- Families and communities: Prioritizes grants that serve communities of color, low-income areas, and Tribal communities so projects and infrastructure investments reach places with greater need.
- State, local, and nonprofit actors: Makes states, territories, Tribes, local governments, nonprofits, and partnerships eligible for three grant tracks for planning, data collection, and on-the-ground reduction projects. Nonprofits must supply letters of support for certain grant tracks.
- Food sector and recycling projects: Funds activities like differential disposal pricing, technical assistance, market development for recycled organics, and anaerobic digestion projects that must use source-separated organics, limit animal waste to 20 percent of feedstock, and plan safe end-use of outputs.
*Would authorize $650 million per year from 2026 through 2035, increasing federal spending over that period.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
EPA food waste program funding
If enacted, the EPA would be required to create a competitive Food Waste Reduction Grant Program. Congress would be authorized to appropriate $650 million each year for fiscal years 2026 through 2035, available until spent. The program would aim to cut total food waste 50% by 2035 compared to 2015. Grant recipients would have to report results and data to EPA, and EPA would publish annual progress reports to Congress and on its website.
Rules for food waste grants
If enacted, the program would award three types of grants: studies (A), data and reports (B), and food waste reduction projects (C). Study and data grants (A and B) could not go to nonprofits. Project grants (C) could go to any eligible entity and could fund pricing rules, technical help, disposal limits, recycling markets, and other EPA‑approved reduction activities. Nonprofit applicants would need a government or qualifying nonprofit letter of support. The EPA would prioritize geographic and program diversity and investments in communities of color, low‑income, or Tribal communities. Anaerobic digestion projects would need an end‑product recycling plan, use source separated organics, and limit animal waste to no more than 20% of total feedstock. The bill also defines key terms like "food waste", "source separated organics", "eligible entity", and "nonprofit organization."
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Brownley
CA • D
Cosponsors
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 12/12/2025
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 12/12/2025
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 12/12/2025
Matsui
CA • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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