October 31, 2025
Mr. Costa (for himself, Mr. Valadao, Ms. Pingree, and Mr. Gray) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
To provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2029, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Converting Our Waste Sustainably Act of 2025
or the COWS Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP) is a successful program in California that supports the livestock industry and is an example of what can be done nationally in the United States through a variety of practices on responsible manure management;
(2)
the 195 existing projects under AMMP are contributing towards the reduction of 1,600,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases; and
(3)
these practices enhance sustainability and nurture continued environmental stewardship, ultimately leading to enhanced local air quality and recycled manure for use as a natural fertilizer or compost for healthier soil.
Sec. 3. Definitions
(a) Composting practice
Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (27) as paragraphs (4) through (28), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
(3) Composting practice
The term
composting practicemeans an activity (including an activity that does not require the use of a composting facility) to produce compost from organic waste that is—(A)
generated on a farm; or
(B)
brought to a farm from the nearby community; and
(C)
the use and active management of compost on a farm to improve water retention and soil health, subject to the condition that such use shall be in compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws.
(b) Alternative manure management
Section 1240A of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (10) as paragraphs (2) through (11), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated, the following:
(1) Alternative manure management practices
The term alternative manure management practices means management measures that reduce baseline methane and nitrous oxide emissions and, where applicable, reduce nitrate leaching into groundwater or improve carbon sequestration, including—
(A)
converting to or improving pasture-based management, including management-intensive rotational grazing (as defined in section 1240L(d)(1));
(B)
compost-bedded pack barns that compost manure, slatted floor pit storage that is cleaned out at least once a month, or other similar practices as determined by the Secretary; and
(C)
solid separation, scrape and vacuum technologies, or other measures, including manure management system retrofits, that primarily avoid wet handling and storage infrastructure in conjunction with—
(i)
open or enclosed solar drying;
(ii)
composting;
(iii)
vermiculture or vermifiltration;
(iv)
forced evaporation;
(v)
solid storage; or
(vi)
other similar methods as determined by the Secretary.
(c) Practice
Subparagraph (A) of section 1240A(7) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1(7)), as so redesignated by subsection (a), is amended—
(1)
in clause (ii), by inserting and composting practices
after practices
;
(2)
in clause (vi), by striking the and
at the end;
(3)
by redesignating clause (vii) as clause (ix); and
(4)
by inserting after clause (vi) the following:
(vii)
composting practices;
(viii)
alternative manure management practices; and
(d) Inclusions
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 drainage management systems
.
Sec. 4. Establishment and administration
(a) Increased payments for high-Priority practices
Section 1240B(d)(7) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)(7)) is amended—
(1)
in the paragraph heading, by inserting state-determined
before high-priority
; and
(2)
in subparagraph (A)—
(A)
in clause (iii), by striking or
at the end;
(B)
in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or
; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(v)
increases carbon sequestration or reduces greenhouse gas emissions, including emissions of methane and nitrous oxide.
(b) Livestock
Section 1240B(f)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(f)(1)) is amended by inserting and alternative manure management
after including grazing management
.
(c) Alternative manure management practices
Section 1240B of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsections (h) through (j) as subsection (i) through (k), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (g) the following:
(h) Alternative Manure Management Practices
(1) Payment amounts
The Secretary may provide a payment for an alternative manure management practice for an amount that is up to 100 percent of the costs associated with planning, design, materials, equipment, installation, labor, management, maintenance, and training related to implementing a covered management measure.
(2) Advanced payments
The Secretary shall provide at least 50 percent of the amount of total payments for an alternative manure management practice in advance for all costs related to—
(A)
purchasing or contracting materials and equipment; or
(B)
any technical assistance provided by the Secretary.
(3) Term
A contract awarded under this section shall have a term that does not exceed 3 years.
Sec. 5. Prioritization of applications
Section 1240C(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–3(b)) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (4) as subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively, and by indenting such subparagraphs 2 ems to the right;
(2)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by striking In evaluating applications under this subchapter, the Secretary shall prioritize applications—
and inserting the following:
(1) In general
In evaluating applications under this subchapter, the Secretary shall prioritize applications—; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(2) Alternative manure management applications
(A) In general
The Secretary shall develop criteria for evaluating and ranking alternative manure management contract offers to prioritize applications that will maximize—
(i)
carbon sequestration;
(ii)
greenhouse gas emissions reductions; and
(iii)
the overall environmental and public health benefits, including improved water quality and quantity.
(B) Additional criteria
In awarding alternative manure management applications, the Secretary shall develop criteria to ensure—
(i)
geographical diversity;
(ii)
scale diversity, including support for small and medium sized dairy and livestock operations; and
(iii)
participation by operations with a demonstrated track record of adopting conservation measures and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
(C) Cluster applications
The Secretary shall establish procedures under which—
(i)
a group of producers may submit a joint application for a shared composting facility; and
(ii)
the Secretary allocates payments to each eligible producer associated with that joint contract.
(D) Serving certain producers
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall award the majority of alternative manure contracts finalized each fiscal year to offers from small and mid-sized dairy and livestock operations, including—
(i)
beginning farmers or ranchers;
(ii)
limited resource farmers and ranchers; and
(iii)
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
Sec. 6. Duties of the Secretary
Section 1240F of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–6) is amended by—
(1)
inserting (a) In general.—
before To the extent appropriate, the Secretary shall assist a producer in achieving the conservation and environmental goals of a program plan by—
; and
(2)
inserting at the end the following:
(b) Alternative manure management
For alternative manure management contracts, the Secretary shall—
(1)
determine and publish factors for estimating the carbon sequestrations and greenhouse gas emissions reductions for each alternative manure management practice;
(2)
identify eligible producers based on manure management practices used at the time of application, including the anaerobic decomposition of volatile solids stored in a lagoon or other predominantly liquid anaerobic environment and their ability to replace or complement that anaerobic system with an alternative manure management practice; and
(3)
assist an eligible producer in achieving the carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and other environmental and public health goals of the alternative manure management systems by—
(A)
providing payments for designing and implementing one or more alternative manure management practices;
(B)
providing that eligible producer with information, technical assistance, and training to aid in implementation of the alternative manure management practices;
(C)
reviewing the adequacy of existing conservation practice standards for supporting the alternative manure management practices and, if necessary—
(i)
revising existing conservation practice standards; and
(ii)
developing new conservation practice standards; and
(D)
entering into cooperative agreements with third-party technical assistance providers with relevant expertise in alternative manure management systems to ensure adequate technical services are available to alternative manure management applicants.
Sec. 7. Limitation on payments
Section 1240G of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–7) is amended—
(1)
by inserting (a) In general.—
before Not including payments
; and
(2)
by striking , regardless of the number of contracts entered into under this subchapter by the person or legal entity
and inserting at the end the following:
(b) Waiver authority and limitation
The Secretary may—
(1)
waive the applicability of the limitations in section 1001D(b) or section 1240(G) for a payment made under an alternative manure management contract if the Secretary determines that the waiver is necessary to fulfill the objectives of the project; and
(2)
impose a separate payment limitation for the contract with respect to which the waiver applies.
Sec. 8. New or innovative conservation approach
Section 1240H(c)(1)(B)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–8(c)(1)(B)(i)) is amended—
(1)
in subclause (VI), by striking and
at the end; and
(2)
by inserting at the end the following:
(VIII)
alternative manure management practices; and
Sec. 9. 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
Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall—
(A)
conduct a review of the composting facilities practice standard and the soil carbon amendment practice standard to determine their adequacy in advancing alternative manure management and on-farm composting generation and utilization; and
(B)
develop and implement a new conservation practice standard for the on-farm production of compost.