---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 6924"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "6924"
heading: "Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/6924"
units:
  - "Chapter 98 — Department of Agriculture Reorganization"
  - "Subchapter I — General Reorganization Authorities"
---

# §6924. Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall establish a Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison to coordinate Federal, [State](/usc/7/1359aa.md?p=5), local, and nongovernmental programs, and other efforts, to measure and reduce the incidence of food loss and waste in accordance with this section.
- (b) **In general—** The Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison shall—
  - (1) coordinate food loss and waste reduction efforts within the [Department](/usc/7/6902.md?p=1) of Agriculture and with other Federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration;
  - (2) support and promote Federal programs to measure and reduce the incidence of food loss and waste and increase food recovery;
  - (3) provide information to, and serve as a resource for, entities engaged in food loss and waste reduction and food recovery, including information about the availability of, and eligibility requirements for, participation in Federal, [State](/usc/7/1359aa.md?p=5), local, and nongovernmental programs;
  - (4) raise awareness of the liability protections afforded under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act ([42 U.S.C. 1791](/usc/42/1791.md)) to [persons](/usc/7/1471g.md?p=b-1) engaged in food loss and waste reduction and food recovery; and
  - (5) make recommendations with respect to expanding innovative food recovery models and reducing the incidence of food loss and waste.
- (c) **Cooperative agreements—** For purposes of carrying out the duties under [subsection (b)](#b), the Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison may enter into [contracts](/usc/7/518.md?p=4) or cooperative agreements with the research centers of the Research, Education, and Economics mission [area](/usc/7/1471.md?p=5), institutions of higher education (as defined in [section 1001 of title 20](/usc/20/1001.md)), or nonprofit organizations for—
  - (1) the development of educational materials;
  - (2) the conduct of workshops and courses; or
  - (3) the conduct of research on best practices with respect to food loss and waste reduction and food recovery.
- (d) **Study on food waste—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall conduct a study, in consultation with the Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison, to evaluate and determine—
  - (1) methods of measuring food waste;
  - (2) standards for the volume of food waste;
  - (3) factors that contribute to food waste;
  - (4) the cost and volume of food loss;
  - (5) the effectiveness of existing liability protections afforded under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act ([42 U.S.C. 1791](/usc/42/1791.md)); and
  - (6) measures to ensure that programs contemplated, undertaken, or funded by the [Department](/usc/7/6902.md?p=1) of Agriculture do not disrupt existing food waste recovery and disposal efforts by commercial, marketing, or business relationships.
- (e) **Reports—**
  - (1) **Initial report—** Not later than 1 year after December 20, 2018, the Food Loss and Waste Liaison shall submit to the [Committee](/usc/7/2132.md?p=n) on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the [Committee](/usc/7/2132.md?p=n) on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that describes the results of the study conducted under [subsection (d)](#d).
  - (2) **Report—** Not later than 1 year after the date of the submission of the report under [paragraph (1)](#e-1), the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall submit to the [Committee](/usc/7/2132.md?p=n) on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the [Committee](/usc/7/2132.md?p=n) on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that contains, with respect to the preceding year—
    - (A) an estimate of the quantity of food waste during such year; and
    - (B) the results of the food waste reduction and loss prevention activities carried out or led by the [Department](/usc/7/6902.md?p=1) of Agriculture.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–354, title II, § 224, as added Pub. L. 115–334, title XII, § 12504, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4987.)