118th Congress Agriculture and Food
S. 2479: Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2023
Introduced
- Introduced (completed)
- Passed Senate (not reached)
- Passed House (not reached)
- To the President (not reached)
- Became law (not reached)
Summary
This bill establishes an alternative manure management program for eligible dairy and livestock producers and provides specified funds to the program for FY2024 through FY2028.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish an alternative manure management program to award producers contracts to support carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Producers must implement management measures that include adopting
- pasture-based management;
- alternative manure treatment and storage practices;
- a solid separation system (or installing a new, higher efficiency solid separation system); or
- scrape technologies, including vacuum technologies.
Read the full summary
USDA may provide a 100% federal cost share. Further, the bill caps the maximum payment to a person or legal entity in any five-year period at $825,000.
USDA must prioritize contracts to entities that address public health concerns (e.g., air quality and water quality) associated with dairy and livestock operations located near low-income or underserved communities. Further, USDA must ensure geographical diversity when awarding contracts.
USDA must also use a majority of the program's funds for small and mid-sized dairy and livestock operations, including beginning, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
The bill also includes composting practices as eligible projects under USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program.
Finally, USDA must review practice standards for composting facilities and soil carbon amendments (e.g., compost) and develop and implement a new conservation practice standard for the on-farm production of compost.
Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Roll calls
No roll call votes have been held on this bill.
Amendments
No amendments were offered to this bill.
Cosponsors
- Sherrod Brown D-OHOriginal
- Martin Heinrich D-NMOriginal
- Peter Welch D-VT
Who scored on this bill
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- S. 291: Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Amendment Act of 2025
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History
- Introduced in the Senate by Alejandro Padilla.
Show the full action history (2 actions)
- Introduced in Senate
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3525-3526)