# The COWS Act: What It Means for Dairy and Livestock Farms

This bill creates a new government program that pays dairy and livestock farmers to change how they handle animal manure in ways that reduce pollution and greenhouse gases. Instead of storing manure in large lagoons where it breaks down and releases methane (a potent greenhouse gas), farmers can get federal funding to switch to alternative methods like composting, pasture-based grazing, or other treatment systems.

The program offers contracts lasting up to three years, with the federal government covering up to 90 percent of the costs for farmers to implement these new practices. A farmer might use the money to build a compost facility, install equipment to separate manure solids from liquids, or transition their operation to let animals graze on pasture more of the time. The government will provide at least half the payment upfront to help farmers afford equipment and materials, with the rest paid after they complete the work. Individual farmers or farm groups can apply, and those who partner together on shared composting facilities can split the payments.

The bill prioritizes helping farms located near low-income communities where air and water pollution from livestock operations is a concern. It also reserves most of the funding—$1.5 billion over five years—for beginning farmers, limited-resource farmers, and socially disadvantaged farmers. No single farmer can receive more than $825,000 over any five-year period. The program also requires the Department of Agriculture to develop new standards for on-farm composting and to provide technical assistance so farmers understand how to implement these practices correctly.

Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2023

Costa, Jim

Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2023This bill establishes an alternative manure management program for eligible dairy and livestock producers and provides specified funds to the program for FY2024 through FY2028.The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish an alternative manure management&nbsp;program to award producers contracts to support carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Producers must implement management measures that include adopting&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>pasture-based management;</li><li>alternative manure treatment and storage practices;</li><li>a solid separation system (or installing a new, higher efficiency solid separation system); or</li><li>scrape technologies, including vacuum technologies.</li></ul>The federal cost share may not exceed 90%. Further, the bill caps the maximum payment to a person or legal entity in any five-year period at $825,000.USDA must prioritize contracts to entities that address public health concerns (e.g., air quality and water quality) associated with dairy and livestock operations located near low-income or underserved communities. Further, USDA must ensure geographical diversity when awarding contracts.USDA must also reserve a majority of the program's funds for beginning, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, as well as farmers and ranchers that continue to transition towards enhanced methods of sequestering carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide emissions.The bill also includes composting practices as eligible projects under USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program.Finally, USDA must review practice standards for composting facilities and soil&nbsp;carbon amendments&nbsp;(e.g., compost) and develop and implement a new conservation practice standard for the on-farm production of compost.&nbsp;