COMPOST Act

H.R. 3272, the Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion Of Sustainable Techniques Act (COMPOST Act), would formally designate composting as a conservation practice and conservation activity under the federal farm programs administered by the USDA. The bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to regulate composting as a qualifying conservation practice, define composting (including on-farm and certain community-derived waste used on a farm to produce compost, and the management of compost to improve soil health and water retention), and develop a standard for composting practices. It also requires consideration of “nearby communities” when bringing community organic waste to farms, with a net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction standard. Additionally, the bill expands two major USDA conservation programs—the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)—to include composting practices, and directs the Secretary to develop a dedicated composting practice standard as part of technical assistance. The overall aim is to encourage broader use of composting on farms, expand support for composting facilities and programs (including grants and loan guarantees mentioned in the title), and integrate composting into federal conservation policy to improve soil health, water retention, and reduce emissions.