COWS Act of 2025

The "Converting Our Waste Sustainably Act of 2025," or "COWS Act of 2025," aims to reform agricultural programs by promoting sustainable manure management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance environmental stewardship. It defines new terms like "composting practice" and "alternative manure management practices" , which include activities such as producing compost from organic waste and implementing measures to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions, improve carbon sequestration, and lessen nitrate leaching. These practices encompass methods like pasture-based management, compost-bedded pack barns, and various solid separation and drying technologies. To incentivize adoption, the bill authorizes increased payments for these high-priority practices, covering up to 100 percent of associated costs , with at least 50 percent provided in advance for alternative manure management. The Secretary is directed to prioritize applications that maximize environmental benefits, focusing on geographical and scale diversity, and specifically supporting small and mid-sized dairy and livestock operations, including beginning, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers. The legislation also allows for "cluster applications" for shared composting facilities and mandates the Secretary to publish factors for estimating greenhouse gas reductions, provide technical assistance, and develop new conservation practice standards for on-farm compost production.