Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act of 2025
The Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act of 2025 would create a new voluntary program within the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 called the Food Loss and Waste Reduction Certification Program. The program is designed to encourage and recognize participants who actively reduce food loss and redirect excess, apparently wholesome food to charitable uses or safer disposal methods (like animal feed, anaerobic digestion, or composting). Participation is voluntary and would be certified through third-party certifications overseen by accredited bodies. The bill emphasizes donations to nonprofit food assistance organizations, supports awareness and labeling to signal certified participants, and seeks to coordinate with the FDA and EPA to align food safety and environmental goals. The act would provide funding to run the program from 2026 through 2030. In short, the bill aims to create a formal, government-backed certification track to promote responsible handling of surplus food, reduce waste, encourage donations, and improve environmental outcomes, all through voluntary participation rather than new requirements on industry.
Key Points
- 1Definitions and scope: Establishes key terms such as apparently wholesome food, eligible participant (covering contractors, governments, businesses, farms/food producers, retailers, restaurants, higher education, and K-12), excess, and the program name (Food Loss and Waste Reduction Certification Program).
- 2Certification process: Within 18 months of enactment, the Secretary must publish criteria for certification based on 12 months of documentation showing either donations to nonprofit food programs or disposal of excess food; third-party certifiers review and certify participants per these criteria.
- 3Accreditation framework: Establishes a process to recognize accreditation bodies that can certify third-party certifiers; accreditation bodies must meet standards set by the Secretary, and the Secretary must publish recognized bodies and certifiers on a public USDA site.
- 4Promotion and labeling: The Secretary must promote certified participants, including voluntary labeling indicating certification and other communications about the participants’ practices and products.
- 5Interagency coordination: Requires cooperation with the FDA Commissioner and EPA Administrator, aligned with a revised Memorandum of Understanding on food loss and waste (originally signed in 2020 and updated under this act).
- 6Funding: Authorization of appropriations of $3 million per fiscal year from 2026 through 2030, available until expended, to run the program (including hiring staff).