S. 2479 · 118th Congress
Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2023
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 118th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
D
PadillaSponsor3 cosponsors · 3 D
2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
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.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · Jul 25, 2023
Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2023
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.
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 nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2023
Latest action (Jul 25, 2023): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3525-3526)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Jul 25, 2023
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.