Bill > HR4327

This bill, the Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2023, directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the Alternative Manure Management Program. This program provides payments to eligible dairy and livestock producers who adopt certain covered management measures, such as pasture-based management, alternative manure treatment and storage practices, and solid separation systems, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon sequestration. The bill also amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to define "composting practice" and incorporate composting into existing conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary to develop and implement a new conservation practice standard for on-farm compost production.