The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing more than $7.5 million in 26 cooperative agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Composting and Food Waste Reduction cooperative agreements are part of USDA’s broad support for urban agriculture. The program is jointly administered by USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The selected projects will be implemented between now and 2027.
“These Composting and Food Waste Reduction projects help communities reduce the harmful effects of food waste on the environment,” said Tammy Willis, Natural Resources Conservation Service State Conservationist in Illinois. “Local strategies and tools like these are important climate solutions and also contribute to food security at the community level.”
USDA prioritized 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.
“Efforts to reduce food loss and waste are a vital component of USDA NIFA’s food safety and nutrition portfolio,” said USDA NIFA Director Dr. Manjit Misra. “The projects funded through this initiative will generate new opportunities at the local level for improved food security, economic growth and environmental prosperity.”
Recipients include projects in 15 states and one territory, including two states that will be first-time participants in the program. The projects selected in Illinois are in Kane and Cook counties.
The Kane County project will begin separation of inedible food scrap at four large local food waste producing institutions and preventing 1,060,000 lbs. per year of inedible food scrap from institutions from going to landfills.
The Cook County project will provide county residents with a food scrap drop-off program. This program includes giving residents, public schools, public libraries, colleges, and other nonprofits a permanent location where they can dispose of their food scraps.
For a complete list of the selected cooperative agreement recipients and project summaries, visit usda.gov/urban. These new agreements build on USDA’s $23.3 million investment in 119 agreements since 2020.
More information
The Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production was established through the 2018 Farm Bill. It is led by Natural Resources Conservation Service and works in partnership with numerous USDA agencies that support urban agriculture and innovative production. The Composting and Food Waste Reduction cooperative agreements are part of a broader USDA investment in urban and innovative agriculture. Other efforts include:
• Investing $5.2 million in 17 awards for the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production competitive grants in fiscal year 2024. Since 2020, UAIP has invested nearly $52 million in 203 awards.
• Administering the People’s Garden Initiative, which celebrates collaborative gardens across the country and worldwide that benefit their communities by growing fresh, healthy food and supporting resilient, local food systems using sustainable practices and providing green space.
• Organizing 27 FSA urban county committees to make important decisions about how FSA farm programs are administered locally. Urban farmers who participate in USDA programs in the areas selected are encouraged to participate by nominating and voting for county committee members.
• Creating and managing a Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production to advise the secretary on the development of policies and outreach relating to urban agriculture.
• Investing in risk management education to broaden the reach of crop insurance among urban and innovative producers.
• Partnering with the Vermont Law and Graduate School Center for Agriculture and Food Systems to develop resources that help growers understand and work through local policies.
Learn more at usda.gov/urban. For additional resources available to producers, download the Urban Agriculture at a Glance brochure and Innovative Production at a Glance brochure or visit farmers.gov/urban.
Through investments in science as a solution to our greatest challenges, USDA NIFA collaborates with partners to drive research, education and Extension — improving lives, supporting livelihoods and sustaining the planet. In FY 2024, NIFA awarded more than 2,200 grants totaling $2 billion.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.
