I’m pleased to announce to our membership that the US Composting Council has applied for a NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code for “Compost Manufacturing” as a stand-alone code in the current open period for new industry NAICS codes.

The move fulfills a long-discussed goal of USCC, whose compost production and collection members find themselves pigeonholed into codes for fertilizer and other non-industry related activities. A specific stand-alone industry code is expected to help our members when they obtain insurance; when they look for federal and small business bid opportunities; and for members who sell to fellow members who are composters, a specific code for the market of compost product.

Agencies like the Census Bureau and other federal groups use NAICS codes to collect and analyze data on industries and publish statistics on those industries and their impact on the U.S. economy. The data will also help USCC with aggregated data to use in discussions and advocacy with state and federal legislators and regulators, as well as other industries and interested stakeholders who are following the growth of the compost industry.

The application has been filed with the U.S. Census Bureau and is expected to be under review in 2020. Part of the review process will be to provide industry data. We have outlined an Industry Economic Survey that will take place this year if funding can be provided. This is one of the deliverables in the Compost Corporate Leadership Council work plan (see detail here). We are asking for your help in supporting this fund. There are levels for composters, affiliates and brand companies who want to help move the needle on infrastructure, so please consider a donation do this important project.

– Frank Franciosi, Executive Director

Have you used the #VforVictorygardens and #compostvictorygarden hashtags, as well as #soillovescompost and #ICAW2020? Well, dozens of you have!

USCC members who have participated in the campaign include: Steve Callis, Solana Center, Aguinaga Green, Laurel Valley Soils, Naturcycle, A1 Organics, EcoSafe Zero Waste, MNCC, NJCC, Parker Bark, KristyK, Missouri Organic, USCC Ps, NY State DEC, Country Oaks Landscaping, Cache Valley Compost, Eco-Cycle and more (if you’re not showing in this list send us an email so we can add you to our campaign list!. )

You can continue using the Victory Garden compost marketing toolkit, found here, for your compost marketing and organics recycling advocacy (you must log in, as only members have access to the toolkit). Let us know you’re using it by tagging us or filling out the form at the bottom of the page!

Take some time to read our two newest posts on the Soilbuilder Blog!

Rhodes Yepsen gives us an update on the Biodegradable Products Institute and why composting food scrap is so important in the products their certification covers. Angelina Peone of the Ulster (NY) County Resource Recovery Agency dissects a topic we all love to talk about – the importance of compost in climate change drawdown and, specifically, Project Drawdown’s recently published Drawdown Review.

Find the blog here.

Want to write for the blog? Propose a topic to us for approval; we are now looking for mid-June and July posts, ideally 500 words. Send your idea to Linda Norris-Waldt and get on the schedule!

The Association of Compost Producers (USCC’s California Chapter) has released a factsheet on product procurement related to California’s SB1383, which requires (starting January 1, 2022), each jurisdiction in California to procure products generated from recovered organic waste at a rat of .08 tons of organics per person. This factsheet shows estimated procurement amounts. Click here for the resource.

North Carolina Composting Council is holding their Annual Meeting via Zoom on June 9, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., with an update of  NCCC’s accomplishments over the past year, followed by four engaging speakers presenting how their organizations have partnered with the NCCC to promote composting, and compost use in our homes, churches, schools and around the state. Each speaker will take questions from attendees after their presentation. Contact Julie Moore to register at julie@carolinacompost.com.

Jerry Walker, a longtime friend of the commercial compost industry, died at his home in Corning, IA, on April 18, 2020.

In his career, he sold equipment for Frontier Turners, Brown Bear and others.

Bob Yost of A1 Organics said Jerry introduced him to the compost industry when he was working in agricultural equipment sales by connecting him with Duane Wilson of A1 Organics in 1989. “Jerry was a “peddler” to the end, one of the last “road warriors” so to speak,” Yost said. “We shared a special bond…he always parted by saying 'keep your hooks baited.' He was one of the good ones and I will miss him."

You can find his obituary here. He is survived by his wife, Edna.

The USCC Legislative and Environmental Affairs Committee is working on two USCC advocacy initiatives as a result of the May meeting:

1. CA AB 1335-Regulations

USCC is coordinating with Association of Compost Producers, (USCC California Chapter), California Compost Coalition and Biodegradable Products Institute to request more feasible regulations for state agencies purchasing compostable materials.

AB 1335 requires state agencies to procure reusable, recyclable, or compostable food service ware; state regulations have been issued that require only those materials that can be composted at 75% of statewide compost facilities – even though a majority of state facilities do not accept food scrap yet, making it impossible to reach 75%. Instead, LEAC is investigating the feasibility of changing the regulation to require that agencies that purchase compostables demonstrate that they there is a contract for acceptance of the material with a composter.

2. New York Community Composting Funding

Due to the pandemic, New York City has cancelled funding for all of its composting programs until 2021, including the $45 million dropoff program that is run by longstanding community composting organizations. USCC will support a petition drive asking for support for the programs.

STATE ISSUES

Maryland

• A coalition of environmental groups led by the MD-DC Compost Council is debriefing on the failure to move forward (even before COVID shutdown) of HB589 (requiring generators above 2T per week to divert to rescue, composting or AD if a facility is within 30 miles of the generation source). The bill did not move out of committee.
• ILSR is working with CASA Sustainable Ag on a campaign to move 1M acres to regenerative agriculture. They are working with farmers on using compost. ILSR is looking for other states with legislation promoting on-farm composting.

Washington

• WA-just passed bill that got vetoed for funding reasons; but two others passed, one based on the agricultural subsidy for farmers based on the Hawaii.
• Useage in state local govt projects, to buy back 50% of what is generated.

Ohio

• Scotts Miracle-Gro is finding an unprecedent demand for soils; they are having trouble keeping up with demand and are looking for more raw material. A new Tier 2 facility is coming to Ohio

Michigan

• Although LEAC/USCC was working on a letter to support Michigan composters sales as essential, the ban was lifted and this issue is resolved.
• Grants have been put on hold as of Fri May 8 due to budgetary issues. Another grant cycle is coming up, due June 1. The Michigan chapter is submitting a grant for compost market development through the Landscapes for Lakes program.
• Draft solid waste rules are on hold.

Illinois

• A microcosm of elsewhere. Composters actively selling products, a few have suspended/delayed organics collection due to personnel challenges.  Illinois EPA is spearheading a group doing a strategic organics plan for state.

Colorado

• The legislative session is scheduled to begin May 26; the organics bill is going to be tabled due to the focus on budget for COVID related costs. The bill had a small fiscal note which is causing it to be tabled, disappointing ...

California

• There is a CDFA mapping project to identify soil organic carbon content across the state’s geography. It will provide baseline info that might benefit downstream programs to help grow compost use.

USCC Market Development Coordinator Hilary Nichols brings you the latest in the STA Certified Compost and compost use programs.

The STA Participant list on the USCC website, the key for end use specifiers and STA labs looking for compost manufacturers producing STA Certified compost, has been revised and updated to show only those participants who meet all the requirements of the Seal of Testing Assurance program. The upgraded list publicizes, which products meet the expectations of the STA and Compost Consumer Use programs, not just which facilities carry STA products. 

This is part of the USCC’s mission to educate compost use specifiers so that we can increase the numbers of people and organizations nationwide who will only purchase compost from manufacturers on our STA participant list. This upgrade of the list makes it easier for both STA labs and end use specifiers to only work with products in our program. If you would like to grow what you offer on our website, and have additional products or facilities you would like to register with, simply include them on your renewal form.

The requirements of the Seal of Testing Assurance contract are a primary way the US Composting Council increases the sales power of the STA logo, ensuring credibility and trustworthiness of the compost our participants produce.
 
Every year, USCC staff discovers new situations that require us to revise the contract for Seal of Testing Assurance participants.

This year that situation was a compost manufacturer who had left the STA program, yet continued to use the STA logo on marketing materials despite our request to stop use. As a result, USCC had to resort to legal notice to stop this violation. USCC has added explicit language in the STA contract that states anyone who violates the contract they signed, is obligated to pay the legal fees resulting from their disregard for the STA contract and the authority of the US Composting Council to enforce the contract. With this change, the power of the STA logo to represent compost integrity to end-users nationwide is increased.

We encourage you to complete your Seal of Testing Assurance Program renewal quickly so that you don’t pay late fees or find your products removed from the website – and so that USCC can spend more time on programs to grow the compost use marketing resources and specifiers on our list .

This is your reminder that this is the second year we are charging a late fee.  Please complete your STA renewal before June 30 to avoid being charged the late fee.  Completing your renewal includes: fill out the form, get us the first page of your unexpired permit, and once both of those have been completed first, the pay the STA yearly fee. All three of those are needed to avoid the late fee and being removed from the website. 

USCC has a whole new series of Joe Lamp’L’s “Growing a Greener World” videos for you to share with your customers.

The Market Development Committee and staff have been working on themes that are targeted to grow your compost sales:

• “Why Professionals Need STA Certified Compost” – TV’s Joe Lamp’L talks about the benefits of using compost. He reminds professionals that compost improves plant success for fewer costly replacements.
• “Not all Compost is the Same” – Compost test results are fact sheets so you know what you are feeding your plants. Joe Lamp’L reminds customers STA Certified Compost participants are trusted sources of this information.
• “Using Compost in Vegetable Gardens” – Compost increases the nutrients in vegetables, resulting in healthier bodies. Joe Lamp’L describes how much compost to use to grow vegetables.

You will benefit from linking to these videos on your website, emailing them to your customers, or suggesting that your retail distributors play these in their store. Enjoy using these compost use videos by our national spokesperson!

All of us know the benefits of using compost. Customers purchasing compost need to know more about why and how to use compost. USCC has a series of new compost use webpages on the website to help you sell more compost. 

• What is Compost – Understanding what compost is, how it is produced, and what it is made of is important for your customers successfully using it in their projects.
• Benefits of Compost Use – When used correctly, compost saves money through reduced maintenance costs, ensures your customers’ projects are more sustainable, and increases your customers’ projects’ overall likelihood of success.
• How Do I Use Compost? – To receive the maximum benefits of compost, it is important to apply compost in amounts and methods that are appropriate for the setting - whether that is a large transportation project or a small home garden.  DOT compost specifications for many states are shared here.
• What Equipment is Needed? – Large projects may require special blower trucks or conveyor systems, whereas small projects may need nothing more than a wheelbarrow or the bag the compost came in.  When your customers know the options available to apply compost, they are more likely to purchase.
• How Do I Buy Quality Compost? – Making sure that the compost your customer purchases has the qualities they need for their particular purpose is important in ensuring the success of their project and their satisfaction with your compost product.
• Compost Allies – The US Composting Council works with many partner organizations to further the use of compost.
• How Can I Advocate for Compost Use? – There are a number of ways that you and your customers can advocate for compost – by teaching about its benefits in their classrooms, by pushing governments and organizations to use more compost in their operations, and by engaging and advocating with the compost community.

Content is continuing to be added on these pages, so check back often! Use the website for your social media and encourage your customers to explore our webpages to answer their questions about using compost. Knowing more about compost increases end user excitement!

Mentoring: The Young Professionals just closed their mentoring application period and the committee of YPS – Gowri Sundaram, chair; Natasha Dyer and Shelby Hoglund – have their work cut out for them with 34 applicants for mentoring and 19 mentors. About half of the applicants are members, and priority will be given to those applicants. Stay tuned and see how the matchup turns out! If you’d like to be a mentor, we are still accepting applications at www.compostingcouncil.org/mentoryoungprofessionals.

YP Fun!: The Young Professionals held a Virtual Happy Hour for ICAW on Friday, May 8 of International Compost Awareness Week, and also put together (thanks to Gowri) this cool YP Video (click here).

Kathy Johnson, TEDX Star! Our very own Kathy Kellogg Johnson of Kellogg Garden Products took the stage in Austin for the TEDX Youth event sponsored by Google, Amazon and TESLA on February 9. Its just been posted in time for International Compost Awareness Week! Her talk was part of RE:BUILD, Soil is “An Idea Worth Spreading.” The event is sponsored by Google, Amazon and TESLA. She spoke to a sold-out audience of 1,100 with 80 high Schools sending scholars. See it here!

More than 200 members who “spring cleaned” their USCC profiles by updating their addresses, website listing, company descriptions and other items in time to qualify for the drawing for a USCC ballcap!

Our winners were two Californians, Neil Edgar, director of California Compost Coalition and chair of USCC’s Legislative and Environmental Affairs Committee, and Mandy Brooks, Salinas Valley Recycling Program manager. Congrats!

You can still check your profile by logging in here, going to Profile, and updating any changes to your address or information!

Please welcome these new members to the US Composting Council!

• City of Lincoln NE
• City of Omaha NE
• Compostable LA
• EVer-Gro Organic Recycling
• Our Sustainble Journey
• Tuffman Equipment/General Kinematics
• Todd Carter
• Sharon Davlin
• Anthony Whaley

Rubicon Global, who in the past has sponsored the conference and Emerging Composter competition, has released their 2020 Environmental, Sustainability and Governance Report. Read it here.

Republic Services now has 11 compost facilities across the U.S. with a 12th facility opening in Ohio. Read more in their news release here.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the availability of $900,000 for local governments to host a Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) pilot project for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The cooperative agreements will support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans. The agreements are offered through USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production.

Key Dates

USDA will accept applications on Grants.gov until midnight June 26, 2020. Projects should span two years with a start date of October 1, 2020 and completion date of September 29, 2022. A webinar about the grant program will be held June 4.

The Composting Council Research and Education Foundation (CCREF) is working with GardenSoxx® to promote a product that will help you with your garden, no matter where it is, and help CCREF’s program, International Compost Awareness Week, as well.

You can purchase GardenSoxx® through CCREF and receive a 10% discount – and in the process, GardenSoxx® will make a donation to ICAW.

GardenSoxx® is an organic landscape and gardening system, which uses high-quality compost held inside a mesh tube to provide better growing conditions for plants. It is a simple and versatile gardening container that can be used virtually anywhere.   Make sure you use this link to order your GardenSoxx® so that you can receive your discount and CCREF can receive a donation to support ICAW. 

Click here for more information!

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