H.R. 7144: Food Rescue Act

The Food Rescue Act is a proposed piece of legislation that aims to create a national system for rescuing surplus food in order to support communities that face food insecurity. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill would do:

Establishment of a National Food Rescue System

The bill mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and manage a national food rescue system. This system will focus on:

• Coordinating the recovery, processing, transportation, and distribution of surplus food.
• Working with emergency feeding organizations and communities that do not have enough food.

Key Activities of Food Rescue Organizations

Food rescue organizations will be responsible for various activities, including:

• Identifying sources of surplus food from agriculture, retail, manufacturing, and distribution.
• Developing partnerships with nonprofit organizations, food banks, and local agencies to help recover and distribute the food.
• Improving logistics and infrastructure needed for food rescue, such as transportation and storage.
• Supporting technology systems to track and redirect surplus food effectively.
• Providing technical assistance to enhance the efficiency of food rescue efforts.

Competitive Grant Program

The Secretary will set up a competitive grant program to fund the activities outlined above. Grants will be available to:

• Food rescue organizations and their partners, including food banks and local governments.

Use of Grant Funds

Funds obtained through the grant program can be used for several purposes, including:

• Operations related to food recovery and rescue.
• Transportation of surplus food, including needs for cold storage.
• Infrastructure for storage, processing, or repackaging food.
• Technology for matching surplus food with recipient organizations.
• Support for personnel and operational needs for food rescue activities.
• Administrative costs as determined necessary by the Secretary.

Application Process for Grants

Entities looking to receive grant funding will need to apply, providing information such as:

• A detailed description of the proposed project and its expected impact.
• Identification of partners involved in the food rescue initiatives.
• An implementation budget and timeline.
• A plan for food sourcing, transportation, and delivery to feeding organizations.

Coordination with Other Programs

The Secretary is tasked with ensuring that the food rescue system is coordinated with other relevant programs, including:

• Programs under the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983.
• The Farm-to-Food Bank Project.
• Other USDA efforts aimed at reducing food waste.

Funding Authorizations

The bill authorizes the allocation of necessary funds to implement the national food rescue system.

Conforming Amendment

A section of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 will be amended to clarify that certain funds appropriated under the Food Rescue Act will be excluded from other funding appropriations.

Relevant Companies

• WWAV (WhiteWave Foods): This company could be involved in food processing and may provide surplus products for donation.
• CAG (ConAgra Brands): As a large food manufacturer, it may have excess products that could be redirected to food banks and organizations.
• DPZ (Domino's Pizza): This company could engage in partnerships for bread and other food surplus management.