The Road Kill Compost King Set to Retire

At the annual awards ceremony two weeks ago, it was my pleasure to present Mr. Cary Oshins with the USCC Distinguished Service Award. In April of this year, Mr. Oshins will be stepping down from his roles at the USCC and CREF. This moment was bittersweet as I, and all the rest of us, recognized the enormous impact Mr. Oshins has had on our industry.  At one point, Matt Cotton asked anyone in the room to raise their hand if they had learned from Cary in some capacity, and easily half of the 700 people in attendance at the closing ceremony stood up. 

Through the Compost Research and Education Foundation’s (CREF) countless compost operations training courses (COTC’s), the industry has benefited from the patience and expertise Cary has brought to the table. As the compost manufacturing industry has evolved over the decade, so has its needs. One thing that has not changed is the need for in-person training.  Cary Oshins was instrumental in drafting, rewriting, adapting, and modifying the coursework so that we all now know that getting your hands dirty and building a pile with your peers is essential in solidifying what happens in the coursework. 

It is because of the history of his dedication to the industry and his love for teaching that the Compost Research and Education Foundation has launched the Cary Oshins Training Scholarship. Please join us in honoring one of our industry's best teachers with your gift of education to others. 

At this year’s awards ceremony, we were able to collect some stories from people who have worked with him over the years. Please take five minutes to hear from these folks in the video below, and tune in the coming months when we are able to share Cary’s farewell speech.

Cary, my dear friend, happy retirement. You will be missed!!