This bill aims to reduce food waste and loss in the United States. It directs the Department of Agriculture to establish programs that collect data on food waste policies, provide grants to improve food recovery infrastructure, and educate the public on reducing food waste.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill aims to reduce food waste and loss in the United States. It directs the Department of Agriculture to establish programs that collect data on food waste policies, provide grants to improve food recovery infrastructure, and educate the public on reducing food waste.
Last updated: 12/29/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>New Opportunities for Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and Education To Overcome Waste Act or the NO TIME TO Waste Act</strong></p><p>This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take several actions to reduce U.S. food loss and waste (FLW).</p><p>Under the bill, <em>food loss </em>means the food that does not reach a consumer as a result of an issue in the production, storage, processing, or distribution phase. <em>Food waste</em> means that food intended for human consumption is unconsumed for any reason at the retail or consumption phase.</p><p>The bill requires USDA to collaborate with the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out a December, 17, 2020, agreement to coordinate federal efforts to cut FLW.</p><p>Further, USDA must establish an Office of Food Loss and Waste to support the existing role of the Food Loss and Waste Liaison. The office must also, among other things, establish</p><ul><li>a grant program to support collecting data on existing state and local FLW policies (and the office must use the data to establish model policies for state and local governments);</li><li>a block grant program for states and Indian tribes to develop and support food recovery infrastructure and innovative food distribution models; and</li><li>a grant program to incentivize state, municipal, local, and tribal governments to establish public-private partnerships that commit to reducing FLW by 50% by 2030.</li></ul><p>The Office of Food Loss and Waste must also initiate a national FLW education and public awareness campaign.</p><!--tinycomments|2.1|data:application/json;base64,eyJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzEyNjY2Mjc4NzIxNzI4NDg2NTI0NjUyIjp7InVpZCI6Im1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fMTI2NjYyNzg3MjE3Mjg0ODY1MjQ2NTIiLCJjb21tZW50cyI6W3sidWlkIjoibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl8xMjY2NjI3ODcyMTcyODQ4NjUyNDY1MiIsImF1dGhvciI6Im5jaHVyY2hpbGxAbGliLmxvYy5nb3YiLCJhdXRob3JOYW1lIjoibmNodXJjaGlsbEBsaWIubG9jLmdvdiIsImNvbnRlbnQiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy51c2RhLmdvdi9zaXRlcy9kZWZhdWx0L2ZpbGVzL2RvY3VtZW50cy9mbHctZm9ybWFsLWFncmVlbWVudC11c2RhLWVwYS1mZGEucGRmIiwiY3JlYXRlZEF0IjoiMjAyNC0xMC0wOVQxNTowODo0NC42NTJaIiwibW9kaWZpZWRBdCI6IjIwMjQtMTAtMDlUMTU6MDg6NDQuNjUyWiJ9XX0sIm1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fNzE1MjYyOTk1MjE3Mjk1MzEwODM2ODMiOnsidWlkIjoibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl83MTUyNjI5OTUyMTcyOTUzMTA4MzY4MyIsImNvbW1lbnRzIjpbeyJ1aWQiOiJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzcxNTI2Mjk5NTIxNzI5NTMxMDgzNjgzIiwiYXV0aG9yIjoibmNodXJjaGlsbEBsaWIubG9jLmdvdiIsImF1dGhvck5hbWUiOiJuY2h1cmNoaWxsQGxpYi5sb2MuZ292IiwiY29udGVudCI6IlNlZSB0aGUgQ1JTIHJlc2VhcmNoLiBEZWZpbml0aW9ucyBvZiBmb29kIGxvc3MgYW5kIGZvb2Qgd2FzdGUgdmFyeSBhbmQgY29udGludWUgdG8gZXZvbHZlLiBTbyBJIHRoaW5rIGl0IGlzIGhlbHBmdWwgdG8gaW5jbHVkZSB0aGVzZSBoZXJlLiAiLCJjcmVhdGVkQXQiOiIyMDI0LTEwLTIxVDE3OjE4OjAzLjY4M1oiLCJtb2RpZmllZEF0IjoiMjAyNC0xMC0yMVQxNzoxODo1MS41OTBaIn1dfSwibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl81NzQ4NzU0MTczMTcyOTU0MjQ3NzUzOSI6eyJ1aWQiOiJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzU3NDg3NTQxNzMxNzI5NTQyNDc3NTM5IiwiY29tbWVudHMiOlt7InVpZCI6Im1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fNTc0ODc1NDE3MzE3Mjk1NDI0Nzc1MzkiLCJhdXRob3IiOiJuY2h1cmNoaWxsQGxpYi5sb2MuZ292IiwiYXV0aG9yTmFtZSI6Im5jaHVyY2hpbGxAbGliLmxvYy5nb3YiLCJjb250ZW50IjoiU2VjLiA1IiwiY3JlYXRlZEF0IjoiMjAyNC0xMC0yMVQyMDoyNzo1Ny41MzhaIiwibW9kaWZpZWRBdCI6IjIwMjQtMTAtMjFUMjA6Mjc6NTcuNTM4WiJ9XX0sIm1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fMzMyNDQ5MDUxNDE3Mjk1NDI1NTEyMzQiOnsidWlkIjoibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl8zMzI0NDkwNTE0MTcyOTU0MjU1MTIzNCIsImNvbW1lbnRzIjpbeyJ1aWQiOiJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzMzMjQ0OTA1MTQxNzI5NTQyNTUxMjM0IiwiYXV0aG9yIjoibmNodXJjaGlsbEBsaWIubG9jLmdvdiIsImF1dGhvck5hbWUiOiJuY2h1cmNoaWxsQGxpYi5sb2MuZ292IiwiY29udGVudCI6IlNlYy4gMyIsImNyZWF0ZWRBdCI6IjIwMjQtMTAtMjFUMjA6Mjk6MTEuMjM0WiIsIm1vZGlmaWVkQXQiOiIyMDI0LTEwLTIxVDIwOjI5OjExLjIzNFoifV19LCJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzQ3NDEzMzk3NzUxNzI5NTQyNzI0NzM5Ijp7InVpZCI6Im1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fNDc0MTMzOTc3NTE3Mjk1NDI3MjQ3MzkiLCJjb21tZW50cyI6W3sidWlkIjoibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl80NzQxMzM5Nzc1MTcyOTU0MjcyNDczOSIsImF1dGhvciI6Im5jaHVyY2hpbGxAbGliLmxvYy5nb3YiLCJhdXRob3JOYW1lIjoibmNodXJjaGlsbEBsaWIubG9jLmdvdiIsImNvbnRlbnQiOiJCdWxsZXRzOlxuMS0gU2VjLiAzKGMpXG4yIC0gU2VjLiAzIChkKVxuMyAtIFNlYy4gNCAoYilcbjQgLSBTZWMuIDciLCJjcmVhdGVkQXQiOiIyMDI0LTEwLTIxVDIwOjMyOjA0LjczOVoiLCJtb2RpZmllZEF0IjoiMjAyNC0xMC0yMVQyMDozMjowNC43MzlaIn1dfSwibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl80MDk1NDQxNDY2MTcyOTU0Mjc0NjA1MyI6eyJ1aWQiOiJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzQwOTU0NDE0NjYxNzI5NTQyNzQ2MDUzIiwiY29tbWVudHMiOlt7InVpZCI6Im1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fNDA5NTQ0MTQ2NjE3Mjk1NDI3NDYwNTMiLCJhdXRob3IiOiJuY2h1cmNoaWxsQGxpYi5sb2MuZ292IiwiYXV0aG9yTmFtZSI6Im5jaHVyY2hpbGxAbGliLmxvYy5nb3YiLCJjb250ZW50IjoiU2VjLiA4IiwiY3JlYXRlZEF0IjoiMjAyNC0xMC0yMVQyMDozMjoyNi4wNTNaIiwibW9kaWZpZWRBdCI6IjIwMjQtMTAtMjFUMjA6MzI6MjYuMDUzWiJ9XX0sIm1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fMTg5MDk4NDk2MzE3MzAxMjM4NjEwMjMiOnsidWlkIjoibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl8xODkwOTg0OTYzMTczMDEyMzg2MTAyMyIsImNvbW1lbnRzIjpbeyJ1aWQiOiJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzE4OTA5ODQ5NjMxNzMwMTIzODYxMDIzIiwiYXV0aG9yIjoiY2lzZW5iZXJnQGxpYi5sb2MuZ292IiwiYXV0aG9yTmFtZSI6ImNpc2VuYmVyZ0BsaWIubG9jLmdvdiIsImNvbnRlbnQiOiJJIGRlbGV0ZWQgdGhpcyBidWxsZXQgYmVjYXVzZSB0aGUgc3Vic3RhbmNlIGlzIHZlcnkgc2ltaWxhciB0byB0aGUgbGFzdCBidWxsZXQuICBUaGlzIG9uZSBzZWVtcyB0byBiZSBtYWlubHkgcmVsYXRlZCB0byBkYXRhIGNvbGxlY3Rpb24sIHRob3VnaCB0aGVyZSB3YXNuJ3Qgcm9vbSBpbiB0aGUgd29yZGNvdW50IHRvIGV4cGxhaW4gdGhpcy4gIiwiY3JlYXRlZEF0IjoiMjAyNC0xMC0yOFQxMzo1Nzo0MS4wMjJaIiwibW9kaWZpZWRBdCI6IjIwMjQtMTAtMjhUMTQ6MTc6MTMuOTc5WiJ9XX0sIm1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fNjk3OTg3MTg3NDE3MzAxMjQwNjE1MjAiOnsidWlkIjoibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl82OTc5ODcxODc0MTczMDEyNDA2MTUyMCIsImNvbW1lbnRzIjpbeyJ1aWQiOiJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzY5Nzk4NzE4NzQxNzMwMTI0MDYxNTIwIiwiYXV0aG9yIjoiY2lzZW5iZXJnQGxpYi5sb2MuZ292IiwiYXV0aG9yTmFtZSI6ImNpc2VuYmVyZ0BsaWIubG9jLmdvdiIsImNvbnRlbnQiOiJJIGRlbGV0ZWQgXCJieSA1MCUgYnkgMjAzMFwiIGJlY2F1c2UgdGhlIERlY2VtYmVyIDE3LCAyMDIwLCBhZ3JlZW1lbnQgZGlkbid0IHNwZWNpZmljYWxseSBlc3RhYmxpc2ggdGhpcyBnb2FsIGJ1dCByZWZlcnJlZCBnZW5lcmFsbHkgdG8gY29vcGVyYXRpb24gYW5kIGNvb3JkaW5hdGlvbiB0byByZWR1Y2UgIEZMVy4gIFRoZSBzcGVjaWZpYyBnb2FsIHdhcyBlc3RhYmxpc2hlZCBlYXJsaWVyIGluIDIwMTUuICBcbmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmVwYS5nb3Yvc3VzdGFpbmFibGUtbWFuYWdlbWVudC1mb29kL3VuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtMjAzMC1mb29kLWxvc3MtYW5kLXdhc3RlLXJlZHVjdGlvbi1nb2FsI2dvYSIsImNyZWF0ZWRBdCI6IjIwMjQtMTAtMjhUMTQ6MDE6MDEuNTIwWiIsIm1vZGlmaWVkQXQiOiIyMDI0LTEwLTI4VDE0OjAxOjAxLjUyMFoifV19LCJtY2UtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uXzM4NDg2MjU0NTUxNzMwMTI0MjI1MTYwIjp7InVpZCI6Im1jZS1jb252ZXJzYXRpb25fMzg0ODYyNTQ1NTE3MzAxMjQyMjUxNjAiLCJjb21tZW50cyI6W3sidWlkIjoibWNlLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbl8zODQ4NjI1NDU1MTczMDEyNDIyNTE2MCIsImF1dGhvciI6ImNpc2VuYmVyZ0BsaWIubG9jLmdvdiIsImF1dGhvck5hbWUiOiJjaXNlbmJlcmdAbGliLmxvYy5nb3YiLCJjb250ZW50IjoiSSB1c2VkIFwidGhlIG9mZmljZVwiIGhlcmUgYmVjYXVzZSB0aGUgYmlsbCBzc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Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Establishes an Office of Food Loss and Waste within the USDA to coordinate federal efforts to reduce food waste
Creates grant programs to support data collection on state/local food waste policies and to fund infrastructure and distribution models that reduce food waste
Requires the USDA to initiate a national public awareness campaign on food waste reduction
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would impact a wide range of stakeholders, including farmers, food producers, retailers, and consumers. If enacted, it could lead to improvements in food distribution and storage, increased food recovery and donation, and greater public awareness of food waste issues. These changes could benefit both the environment and household budgets by reducing unnecessary food waste.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Agriculture and Food
Related Subjects
Advanced technology and technological innovations
Agricultural conservation and pollution
Agricultural marketing and promotion
Agricultural practices and innovations
Animal and plant health
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Food industry and services
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Intergovernmental relations
+3 more
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
5657, 119th Congress (2025). "Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-5657
