,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #hce ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #d1 #bjbe,mr4 ,durbin 7for himself and ,mr4 ,grassley7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,agricultural ,marketing ,act of #aidf to establish a voluntary program to reduce food loss and waste1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,reduce ,food ,loss and ,waste ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,food loss and waste certification program ,subtitle ,a of the ,agricultural ,marketing ,act of #aidf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #afba et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #baj;,b4 ,food loss and waste certification program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,apparently wholesome food ,the term apparently wholesome food has the meaning given the term in subsection 7b7 of the ,bill ,emerson ,good ,samaritan ,food ,donation ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #agia7;b774 7#b7 ,certified participant ,the term certified participant means an eligible participant that has been certified under subsection 7d74 7#c7 ,eligible participant ,the term eligible participant means-- 7,a7 a contractor that has entered into a contract with an executive agency1 the ,senate1 or the ,house of ,representatives for the provision1 service1 or sale of food in the ,united ,states2 7,b7 a ,state1 local1 municipal1 or ,tribal government2 7,c7 a corporation1 partnership1 organization1 or association2 7,d7 a farm or a food producer1 manufacturer1 processor1 holder1 or packer2 7,e7 a retail grocer2 7,f7 a restaurant or similar food service establishment2 7,g7 an institution of higher education or a consortium of those institutions2 or 7,h7 a primary or secondary school or a consortium of those institutions4 7#d7 ,excess ,the term excess1 with respect to food1 means that the food would otherwise be discarded4 7#e7 ,food ,the term food means food 7as defined in section #bja of the ,federal ,food1 ,drug1 and ,cosmetic ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #cba77 that is intended for human consumption4 7#f7 ,program ,the term program means the ,food ,loss and ,waste ,reduction ,certification ,program established under subsection 7b74 7#g7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7b7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish a voluntary program1 to be known as the ,food ,loss and ,waste ,reduction ,certification ,program-- 7#a7 to certify eligible participants in accordance with subsection 7d72 and 7#b7 to promote certified participants in accordance with subsection 7e74 7c7 ,purposes ,the purposes of the program are-- 7#a7 to reduce food loss and waste2 7#b7 to increase donations of excess1 apparently wholesome food to nonprofit organizations that provide food assistance to individuals in need2 and 7#c7 to increase the use of alternative disposal methods for food1 such as redirection to animal feed1 anaerobic digestion1 and composting4 7d7 ,certification 7#a7 ,criteria 7,a7 ,in general 7i7 ,establishment and publication ,not later than #ah months after the date of enactment of the ,reduce ,food ,loss and ,waste ,act of #bjbe1 the ,secretary shall establish and publish in the ,federal ,register criteria for the certification of an eligible participant under the program4 7ii7 ,inclusions ,criteria described in clause 7i7 shall include the submission to a third-party certifier accredited under paragraph 7#c7 of documentation from #ab consecutive months on the quantity of food that the eligible participant-- 7,i7 has donated to nonprofit organizations that provide food assistance for individuals in need2 or 7,,ii7 has sent to be disposed of4 7,b7 ,stakeholder input ,the ,secretary shall solicit comments from interested parties prior to the establishment or revision of the criteria described in subparagraph 7,a74 7,c7 ,revisions 7i7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall revise the criteria described in subparagraph 7,a7 on a periodic basis4 7ii7 ,publication ,the ,secretary shall publish in the ,federal ,register criteria revised under clause 7i7 not later than #bgj days before the effective date of the revised criteria1 including an explanation of the revisions4 7#b7 ,accreditation bodies 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #ah months after the date of enactment of the ,reduce ,food ,loss and ,waste ,act of #bjbe1 the ,secretary shall establish a process to recognize accreditation bodies to accredit third-party certifiers under paragraph 7#c77;,a74 7,b7 ,standards ,the ,secretary shall recognize an accreditation body under subparagraph 7,a7 if the accreditation body meets such standards as the ,secretary shall establish4 7#c7 ,third-party certifiers 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #ah months after the date of enactment of the ,reduce ,food ,loss and ,waste ,act of #bjbe1 the ,secretary shall establish a process for accreditation bodies recognized under paragraph 7#b7 to accredit third-party certifiers to review and certify eligible participants under the program4 7,b7 ,standards ,an accreditation body recognized under paragraph 7#b7 shall accredit a third-party certifier under subparagraph 7,a7 if the third-party certifier meets such standards as the ,secretary shall establish4 7,c7 ,preference ,in accrediting third-party certifiers under subparagraph 7,a71 an accreditation body recognized under paragraph 7#b7 shall give preference to institutions of higher education that have expertise in food loss and waste reduction4 7,d7 ,certification ,a third-party certifier accredited under subparagraph 7,a7 shall review and certify an eligible participant under the program if the eligible participant meets the criteria established under paragraph 7#a74 7#d7 ,publication ,the ,secretary shall maintain on a publicly available website of the ,department of ,agriculture-- 7,a7 a list of accreditation bodies recognized under paragraph 7#b72 and 7,b7 a list of third-party certifiers accredited under paragraph 7#c74 7e7 ,promotion 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall promote a certified participant under the program1 including through-- 7,a7 voluntary labeling established under paragraph 7#b72 and 7,b7 such other communications as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate relating to the products1 buildings1 practices1 and policies of the certified participant1 such as-- 7i7 publication on the website of the ,department of ,agriculture of information relating to the certified participant2 and 7ii7 holding events to promote the certified participant or otherwise relating to the program4 7#b7 ,voluntary labeling ,the ,secretary shall establish #a or more voluntary labels that indicate that a certified participant is certified under the program4 7f7 ,interagency coordination ,the ,secretary shall carry out this section in coordination with the ,commissioner of ,food and ,drugs and the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency1 in accordance with the memorandum of understanding revised under section #c of the ,reduce ,food ,loss and ,waste ,act of #bjbe4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section1 including for the hiring of additional personnel1 #c1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjcj1 to remain available until expended4 4 #c4 ,memorandum of understanding ,the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 the ,commissioner of ,food and ,drugs1 and the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency shall revise1 in accordance with section #baj;,b of the ,agricultural ,marketing ,act of #aidf 7as added by section #b71 the agreement signed on ,december #ag1 #bjbj1 relating to cooperation and coordination on food loss and waste4