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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it is accepting applications for Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year 2024. The cooperative agreements will use remaining funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Selected projects will develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans and are part of USDA’s broader efforts to support urban agriculture.
USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP), led by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), will accept applications on Grants.gov until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Sept. 4, 2024. Projects must be two years in duration with an estimated start date of June 1, 2025.
“Uneaten food makes up approximately 4% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions,” said Terry Cosby, Chief of NRCS, which houses the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. “Turning food waste into valuable compost is an important climate solution and benefits both farmers and communities.”
Cooperative agreements support projects led by local and tribal governments, schools or other eligible entities that:
- Generate compost
- Increase access to compost for agricultural producers
- Reduce reliance on and limit the use of fertilizer
- Improve soil quality
- Encourage waste management and permaculture business development
- Increase rainwater absorption
- Reduce municipal food waste
- Divert food waste from landfills
The program is seeking projects that anticipate or demonstrate economic benefits; incorporate plans to make compost easily accessible to farmers, including community gardeners; integrate other food waste strategies, including food recovery efforts, and collaborate with multiple partners. More details are available in the?Grants.gov notice.