Money is available for local governments to host a Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction pilot project for fiscal year 2020. The cooperative agreements will support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans. The agreements are offered through USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. A total of $900,000 is available

“Food waste shouldn’t end up in landfills when options like food recovery and composting are available,” Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey said. “Such options not only benefit communities and the environment, they can also provide farmers and urban gardeners with exceptional, nutrient dense planting material.”

“We are tapping into the creativity of communities across the nation to rethink the lifecycle of food in ways that minimize waste and maximize use.” said Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach. “We look forward to highlighting the innovative practices of selected pilot projects.”

Key dates

USDA will accept applications on Grants.gov until midnight June 26, 2020. Projects should span two years with a start date of Oct. 1, 2020 and completion date of Sept. 29, 2022.

Details

Cooperative agreements support projects led by local governments that:

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide assistance for conservation related activities.

Priority will be given to 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.

Webinar

A webinar, which will be held on June 4, 2020, from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, will provide an overview of the cooperative agreements’ purpose, project types, eligibility and basic requirements for submitting an application. Information on how to register and participate in the webinar, or listen to the recording, will be posted at farmers.gov/urban.

More information

Comments can be sent to [email protected] within 90 days, with the subject line “Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction Project.”

The Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production was established through the 2018 Farm Bill. It includes representatives from many USDA agencies, including Farm Service Agency and Agricultural Marketing Service, and is led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Its mission is to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices, including community composting and food waste reduction. More information is available at farmers.gov/urban.

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