Raleigh, NC — The US Composting Council (USCC) has launched two national benchmark surveys designed to better understand how compost is currently used and perceived in key emerging end markets: transportation and landscape/development.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to gather insights directly from professionals who influence decisions related to stormwater management, erosion control, soil performance, and site development. With a deeper understanding of current awareness, adoption barriers, specifications, and performance perceptions, USCC aims to identify opportunities to expand compost use in sectors with significant growth potential.

Compost Use in Transportation Projects targets transportation agencies, public works professionals, engineers, stormwater managers, and contractors.

Compost Use in Landscape & Development Projects targets landscape architects, designers, developers, contractors, and related professionals.

Findings from the surveys will help inform future educational resources, technical guidance, outreach efforts, and market development tools designed to support compost adoption in these sectors.

USCC is encouraging its network of compost manufacturers, marketers, and industry partners to help distribute the surveys through their professional networks. Broad participation will help ensure the findings accurately reflect the experiences and perspectives of personnel making decisions about compost use in real-world projects.

The surveys should take approximately three minutes to complete and will remain open through July 17, 2026. Findings will be shared through future reports, educational materials, and a webinar highlighting key insights and market opportunities.

Share the Surveys

Transportation Benchmark Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TYFY6QN

Landscape & Development Benchmark Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KMNY9GX

About the US Composting Council

Established in 1992, the US Composting Council (USCC) is dedicated to the development, expansion, and promotion of the U.S. compost manufacturing industry. The USCC achieves this mission by encouraging, supporting, and performing compost-related research, promoting best management practices, establishing standards, educating professionals and the public about the benefits of compost and compost utilization, enhancing compost product quality, and developing training materials for compost manufacturers and markets for compost products. USCC members include compost manufacturers, marketers, equipment manufacturers, product suppliers, academic institutions, public agencies, nonprofit groups, and consulting/engineering firms.

As the conflict in the Middle East continues to impact global markets, American growers are feeling the pressure of rising fertilizer prices that demonstrate U.S. vulnerability in relying on synthetic and mineral fertilizers produced overseas. This crisis will continue to limit farm prosperity, and rising food costs already stressing Americans will continue to worsen.

Compost, a soil amendment made from the biological decomposition of organic waste, is often overlooked in discussions surrounding the current fertilizer cost crisis. Compost is a tool that will improve the resiliency of American agricultural systems and mitigate the consequences of future crises such as the one currently facing American farmers and consumers.

Compost application creates healthy soils and benefits plant growth in many ways, making it an effective method to reduce farmers’ reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Compost can be produced by farmers on their farms, giving them the opportunity to turn waste products into a valuable, locally-sourced soil amendment. In the U.S., compost is also produced by compost manufacturers and community composters and sold to farmers, bolstering local economies who can rely on their neighbors to meet soil health needs.

Compost is an America-first solution. Building up healthy soils that depend on locally-produced resources will make farms more resilient in the face of global and environmental crises. As leading nonprofits in the composting industry, the US Composting Council (USCC) and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) are urging Americans to consider compost as a solution amid rising fertilizer prices.

Our organizations have compiled the following document to furnish media with the tools needed to include compost in coverage of the ongoing fertilizer cost crisis. Please utilize the following quotes, facts, and resources in future communications covering the fertilizer shortage to express the power of compost as a local, American-made tool for improving the resiliency of our food system.

Please utilize the following quotes from leaders in the composting and regenerative agriculture fields:

“For centuries growers have used compost to nurture the long-term fertility of soil, and decades of moving away from that have led to over-dependence on synthetic fertilizer to replace what nature already provides. This fertilizer crisis makes it imperative for growers to transition to compost to cultivate local, American soil health to sustain the U.S. food system.“

Linda Norris-Waldt, Executive Director, US Composting Council

“Fossil-fuel-based synthetic fertilizers are like steroids providing a quick boost of nutrients directly to plants for fast growth but do nothing for soil health. In contrast, compost – which is a made-in-America product – provides a feast for the soil, adding organic matter and fostering beneficial microbial life. This leads to slow release, long-term fertility and so many other benefits from better soil structure to higher water-holding capacity, which can make the difference in whether a farmer’s crop survives drought conditions or not.“

Brenda Platt, Director, Composting for Community Initiative, Institute for Local Self-Reliance

“In the face of all the chaos and uncertainty in this world caused by war and politicians I take some comfort in the fact that my farm's fertility comes from a stable supply of local, sustainable and healthy compost. And because we make it ourselves on the farm our fertility is a positive source of good revenue rather than a volatile cost center. We are blessed at Two Particular Acres that the Strait of Hormuz has absolutely no impact on our fertility thanks to compost!“

Ned Foley, operator of Two Particular Acres, Pennsylvania

“Farmers want to use compost as a way to build soil health and thus profitability, while reducing their reliance on synthetic fertilizers and the volatile markets that determine their price. In order to do that, they need access to high-quality compost, specialized equipment, financial support, and technical assistance.“

Ellen Polishuk, owner of Plant to Profit, Maryland

“We're in our 8th year on this land and we've put down a lot of compost over those years. As a result we've seen our soil improve pretty dramatically, to where we don't use nearly as much fertilizer as we used to. We use 20% of the fertilizer that we used four years ago, and we attribute this to higher organic matter thanks to all the compost we spread. We buy about 150 cubic yards of compost each year.“

Vera Fabian, Owner and Operator Ten Mothers Farm, North Carolina

Please consider these facts when writing about compost as a solution to ongoing and future fertilizer shortages:

Compost benefits plant growth in multiple ways- Applying compost to soils contributes to healthy and robust plant growth in multiple ways, including by: providing a diverse suite of nutrients that become available to plants over long periods of time, including but not limited to nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; enriching soil with organic matter; improving the water holding capacity of soil; balancing soil pH; suppressing pests, disease, and certain weeds.
( https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/PlantGrowthBenefits)

Combining multiple practices creates resilient soils - Compost and fertilizer are not directly interchangeable. Compost has lower nutrient values than conventional synthetic fertilizers, but comes with a suite of other benefits. Utilizing compost can reduce the amounts of synthetic and mineral fertilizers required by crops. In one study, the application of compost on sugarcane fields in southern Florida lowered the annual N fertilizer requirement for sugarcane by an average of 38% (McCray et al. (2017)), and many studies show higher reductions in NPK needs (U.S. EPA, 2025). Combining compost and fertilizer application practices can lead to healthy, resilient soils and ideal growing conditions (Paul Pugliese, University of Georgia).

Compost use has helped farmers adapt during previous spikes in fertilizer prices - The current conflict between the United States and Iran is not the first time that farmers have experienced a rise in fertilizer prices due to supply chain disruptions; farmers dealt with rising fertilizer costs as recently as 2022. A 2022 survey (Wang et al. 2023) shows that U.S. farmers utilized sustainable agriculture practices including the application of compost to relieve the burden that high fertilizer costs were placing on their operations. (Vos, Glauber, Hebebrand, & Rice, 2025; Wang et al. 2023).

The composting industry creates American jobs and grows the national economy - Composting represents a million-dollar American industry, with organizations of all scales—from industrial to community composters—creating local jobs. According to a 2023 survey, there are 4,713 composting facilities in the nation, with around 230 of them processing food scraps. The number of facilities, organizations, companies, and, ultimately, jobs, in the composting space continues to grow. (A Growing Movement: 2022 Community Composter Census [Libertelli, Platt, Matthews, 2023]; BioCycle Nationwide Survey: Full-Scale Food Waste Composting Infrastructure In The U.S. [Goldstein, Luu, Motta, 2023];)

Please share the following resources that can help readers learn about the benefits of compost; utilize compost in their gardens and farms; begin ]\on-farm composting for agricultural operations; and more:

Benefits of Compost - In addition to plant growth benefits, composting and compost application have many more benefits for our soils, communities, and ecosystems. This document describes the primary benefits of composting and compost use.

On-Farm Composting and Compost Use Resources - On-farm composting adds to local composting capacity and facilitates the use of compost in agricultural soil, which can reduce the amount of synthetic fertilizers a farm needs and may provide additional sources of income to farms via tipping fees and compost sales.

On-Farm Composting Toolkit - This toolkit provides resources to support better composting on farms and to encourage composting with community needs in mind, with the overarching goals of reducing solid waste, avoiding water pollution, and increasing soil health and farm resiliency.

On-Farm Composting Decision Guide - Published in 2019, the University of Oregon's guide "On-Farm Composting-Will it Work on My Farm?" lays out the questions farmers should ask themselves in order to start pursuing on-farm composting in a way that's right for their individual farm. It references the On-Farm Composting Handbook (1992), edited by Dr. Robert Rynk.

NRCS Code 336 Resource Hub- In 2022, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) established Soil Carbon Amendment (Code 336) as an official Conservation Practice Standard for Soil Carbon Amendment Code 336. Using this conservation practice, farmers, ranchers and forest stewards are able to apply for financial assistance by working with their regional NRCS office. State and regional Technical Service Providers will work with the applicant in developing a conservation plan that identifies natural resource concerns and prescribes a conservation practice standard to address each concern.

Guidelines for Organic Fertilization - Compost application is not a "one-size-fits-all" practice. This guide from the University of Massachusetts Amherst instructs growers on the application of compost and organic fertilizers based on the biological, physical, and chemical characteristics of their local soils.

Support USDA Voluntary Conservation Programs - USDA Conservation Programs that help farmers acquire and utilize compost as an organic soil amendment in their operations will increase the resiliency of the American food system in the face of the next fertilizer price increase. Through this campaign, citizens can write to their Congressional Representatives and encourage them to support these programs.

The conference commenced on Monday, Feb. 2, with seven workshops and a multi-site tour offering attendees invaluable insights into the world of composting. The day ended with the USCC’s Annual Members' Meeting, where staff and committee leaders reported on the organization’s work and progress over the past year, followed by a ribbon cutting to open the conference in the Trade Show Hall. Over the course of the following two days, more than 94 speakers delivered presentations across 27 sessions, covering a diverse range of topics and featuring both prominent and emerging voices in the field.

In response to member feedback, COMPOST2026 strengthened its business-focused programming within a broad and diverse agenda that also covered technical operations, policy, research, community engagement, and innovation. The conference featured four sessions on compost business financing and growth, a workshop on facility financing, and introduced the USCC’s new Bank Loan Kit to help composters access capital and scale their operations.

The exhibit hall emerged as a hub of activity, drawing in a crowd eager to explore the latest products and services—and to snap a pic with Herm the Worm. To close out the programming in the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, the Annual Awards Ceremony honored 11 deserving recipients, including industry veterans, Young Professionals, State Chapters, municipal agencies, and community composters, with prestigious USCC awards that highlighted the industry's unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation.

The final day of the conference was the 2026 Equipment Demonstration Day, or as it’s affectionately called, Demo Day. Held at Recology Ostrom Organics, the event saw nearly 600 in attendance. Demo Day attendees viewed 40 pieces of equipment from about 20 brands, demonstrating the latest advancements in composting technology. The demonstrations included multiple USCC Demo Day debuts, including the Rotochopper L-II Horizontal Grinder and the Orkel Dens Compact Baler from Green Harvest Solutions.

Not only did COMPOST2026 provide the same level of high-quality conference programming as USCC’s regular attendees are used to, but this year also saw the success of multiple first-time initiatives for the event.

On Wednesday, Feb. 3, while most attendees were in the Convention Center, 10 industry operators headed out to the Demo Day site for a new event: the Pre-Demo Day Pit Stop. This event was created in direct response to feedback from industry operators about how the USCC can improve their conference experience. Many operators asked for the same thing: more dedicated, one-on-one time with equipment vendors. The Pre-Demo Day Pit Stop brought key composting industry operators and decision-makers for 1-on-1 time with equipment vendors, without the crowds of Demo Day, to foster deep conversations and help make crucial purchasing decisions.

On Thursday, February 5, the USCC Certification Commission offered an in-person opportunity to sit for the Certified Compost Operations Manager (CCOM)™ and Certified Composting Professional (CCP)™ exams. Applicants were required to complete and be approved through the full certification process prior to testing. While exams are typically administered at a testing center at a time convenient to the candidate, offering the exam during the Annual Conference provided added convenience for those already in attendance and supports the continued growth of the Certification Program.

This year also saw an expansion of accessibility initiatives for the USCC’s Annual Conference. The USCC Composting for All Committee fundraised for and organized two new rooms within the convention center: the Serenity Room, which served as a low-sensory space for attendees to decompress from the constant buzz of the conference, and the Health & Personal Wellness Rooms, private rooms where people could attend to personal health needs. Both of these spaces were enthusiastically utilized by attendees and will return in future years.

The Composting for All Committee also hosted the annual Conference Scholarship program, which has provided financial support for the cost of registration, travel, and housing since 2022. Scholarships grew exponentially this year—from 10 scholarships of $1,000 in 2025 to 29 scholarships of up to $1,500 at COMPOST2026. The growth of the scholarship program was made possible by generous support from the 11th Hour Project.

The effort put into the new initiatives seen at COMPOST2026, while also maintaining the same high-quality events of past years, shows the USCC’s commitment to growing and changing to meet the needs of a growing and changing industry. The US Composting Council thanks volunteers, attendees, speakers, moderators, sponsors, and exhibitors who collectively made COMPOST2026 a reality.

“These award recipients represent the very best of our industry,” said Linda Norris-Waldt, Executive Director of the US Composting Council. “Their leadership, innovation, and dedication are advancing composting as a vital solution for building healthy soils, strengthening communities, and addressing our most pressing environmental challenges.”

Below are the recipients and the awards presented during the ceremony:

Brenda Platt of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) received the Jerome Goldstein Award, awarded to an individual who has achieved excellence in their field of study and to honor those who have made significant contributions over their professional career to the field of environmental stewardship and natural resource sustainability. Platt is the Director of the Composting for Community Initiative at ILSR, where she has worked for 40 years. As a researcher, teacher, organizer, and advocate of local, decentralized composting, Platt has shown countless people the ways that composting can transform communities by transforming waste into a resource.

Matt Cotton was awarded the Hi Kellogg Award for Outstanding Service to the Industry. Cotton has spent more than 25 years in the composting industry. He has developed training programs for multiple waste recycling associations including USCC, and has taught composting courses all across the globe. In addition to his teaching, Cotton has written approved fire and odor plans for composting facilities, and conducts important research on the organics industry, including the study of compost infrastructure; the fate of compostable plastics; and the greenhouse gas impacts of applying compost to agricultural soils. Cotton served on the USCC Board of Directors from 1999 to 2017.

David Paull received the H. Clark Gregory Award for his dedication to grassroots composting initiatives. David has been a key member, and is the current president, of the Georgia Composting Council, bringing people together from across the state to grow composting. Paull founded his own composting business before becoming a cofounder of the B-Corp CompostNow, where he leads partnerships growth and business development. By utilizing public education, workshops, and community partnerships to drive successful diversion, CompostNow has diverted more than 100 million pounds of food waste.

Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency of Marion, IA has been awarded the Compost Manufacturer of the Year – Large Scale, which honors facilities managing more than 10,000 tons of material annually. This facility began composting operations in 1994. Today it accepts and processes up to 100,000 tons of yard waste and food waste annually, producing approximately 12,000 tons of finished STA-Certified compost. This award recognizes the agency as a leader of composting in the Midwest, particularly with their fine-tuned contamination removal process.

Happy Trash Can, based in Bozeman, MT, was recognized as the Compost Manufacturer of the Year – Small Scale. Founders Adrienne Huckabone and Ryan Green started Happy Trash Can to create a local, closed-loop food system, collecting and composting food scraps on a local farm. In the years since its founding, Happy Trash Can has expanded its footprint multiple times to include multiple 100- and 50-foot windrow systems. Today, Happy Trash Can collects 2.5 million lbs annually of food scraps and compostable packaging annually from residents through public private partnerships with Gallatin and Park County and the City of Bozeman, as well as commercial customers including Bridger Bowl ski area and Montana State University.

Hillside Solutions / Soil Dynamics, received the Organics Diversion Program of the Year Award for its extensive commercial and residential organics collection initiatives across Nebraska. The business began as a compost facility in 2004, and in 2016 opened a hauling division to expand their potential for food scrap diversion. Hillside Solutions serves 1,800 households using 60+ community food waste drop-off sites. They have designed a guide that helps 250 businesses in their region on the path to zero-waste and hold an Annual Awards presentation for their customers. As the first and only industrial composting facility in the Omaha-area, they process 50,000 tons of food, yard, wood, and certified compostable plastics annually, showing the impact that strong diversion programs can have.

The Georgia Composting Council received the State Chapter Rookie of the Year Award, recognizing their stellar efforts as a newly formed chapter within the past five years. The Georgia Composting Council created its first strategic plan in 2024, and today is 46 members strong. In 2025, the Chapter hosted a slew of events including its first annual meeting; an inaugural virtual legislative town hall which gathered legislators and composting industry representatives together; and Georgia Compost Connect, a day-long event with presentations, facility tour, and an equipment demonstration.

The Colorado Composting Council (COCC) was presented with the State Chapter of Excellence Award for demonstrating outstanding achievements in chapter leadership. The COCC’s steadfast work, particularly in the area of advocacy, earned them this distinction. Their work has led to improved regulations and statewide infrastructure plans for composting; in particular, they spent several years engaged in one of the first state efforts to implement EPR that included composting in its provisions, as well as advocating for labelling of compostable packaging. In addition to these statewide efforts, COCC members across Colorado work tirelessly to advance local policies and projects that are helping position composting as a growing economic driver for the state.

Patrick Geraty of St. Louis Composting was celebrated as the Volunteer of the Year for his tireless dedication to the USCC, its leadership, and its conference. He has served as board member and treasurer of USCC, and was president for three terms. For years, Patrick has lent his expertise to abstract reviews, program development, and strategic decision-making around the annual conference including its rise in profile to convention centers beginning in 2020, for which he advocated. His contributions consistently result in a stronger, more impactful conference experience.

The Top Learner Award is given to someone enrolled in the Compost Scholar Program in Compost University™, the USCC’s online learning management system. In 2025, Michelle Owen, Director of Operations for Circular Services, completed 35 courses, totaling nearly 25 hours of coursework, in CompostU™. Michelle studied courses on process control, quality assurance and diversion to business and compost science. Michelle is a Certified Compost Operations Manager (CCOM)™.

The USCC Young Professional (YP) of the Year went to Katya Forsyth. Forsyth serves as Healthy Soils Program Manager for Zero Foodprint and is executive director of the Association of Compost Producers (ACP), the California chapter of the USCC. Forsyth is currently the chair of USCC’s YP Committee, leading the committee in its many initiatives including the mentorship program, monthly Happy Hours, and the annual YP Service Event at the USCC’s conference.

Awardees are nominated by peers and honored each year at the US Composting Council's Annual Conference and Tradeshow.

Infrastructure-Building Tool Addresses Bankers’ Unfamiliarity with the Composting Business Model

Raleigh, NC – January 27, 2026 – The U.S. Composting Council (USCC) this week released a draft Bank Loan Kit designed to help composters more effectively engage capital providers and to secure financing to open, expand, or upgrade composting facilities.

The USCC Bank Loan Kit provides standardized, practical tools that translate the composting business model into language familiar to investors and lenders. The kit was developed as part of the Corporate Compost Leadership Council (CCLC) workplan and responds directly to financing challenges identified by composters over the past several years.

The need for improved access to capital was first highlighted in the CCLC’s 2021 Finding Funds white paper, which identified banker unfamiliarity with composting operations, risk profiles, and revenue models as a persistent barrier to financing. The Bank Loan Kit builds on that research by offering materials that composters can use in real-world lending conversations.

“We have long heard from our members that pursuing bank financing is made more difficult by the lack of familiarity lenders have with composting businesses — how facilities make money, what the risks are, and how to evaluate projects,” said Linda Norris-Waldt, Executive Director of the U.S. Composting Council. “Our earlier research confirmed this as a significant obstacle, and we’re pleased to be bringing practical, field-tested resources to help composters overcome it.”

The kit was compiled by Paula Luu, Managing Director of BioCycle, who has worked extensively with composters, investors, and NGOs funding climate initiatives. The pro forma financial template included in the kit was developed by Jarrett Bond.

“Composters know their businesses inside and out, but investors don’t always understand how these facilities work or how risk shows up operationally,” said Paula Luu. “The kit helps bridge that gap by translating composting operations into terms capital providers recognize and trust.”

The draft Bank Loan Kit includes:

• Banker Handout: A concise primer to help lenders understand composting business models, revenue drivers, and key underwriting risks
• Pro Forma Financial Template: A fill-in financial model that generates financial projections composters can share with capital providers (e.g. banks, investors)
• Business Plan Template: A guided, fillable document that helps composters clearly explain their operations, business model, and growth plans to capital providers

USCC is releasing the kit initially as a draft for member review and comment. USCC members are invited to review the materials, which can be downloaded from USCC's website, and provide feedback through a structured comment form through March 15, 2026. The input will be used to refine the kit ahead of its final release in April 2026, ensuring the tools reflect real-world operating conditions across the composting industry.

“For the composting industry to continue scaling, operators need financial tools that align with how investors actually evaluate projects,” said Jarrett Bond. “This pro forma template is designed to translate operational realities into a clear, bank-ready financial framework, helping composters present credible, actionable information and enabling capital providers to engage with greater confidence.”

The draft kit will be introduced at the USCC’s COMPOST2026 Annual Conference and Trade Show, taking place February 2–5 in Sacramento, California, and will be available afterward on USCC’s Growing Your Business webpage. Bond and former USCC Executive Director, Frank Franciosi, will use the toolkit as an instructional backbone to their upcoming COMPOST2026 workshop on February 2nd. USCC will also host a webinar this spring to walk composters through how to use the kit and incorporate it into conversations with lenders.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — The US Composting Council (USCC) today released the 2025 Public Policy report as a part of its ongoing advocacy efforts on behalf of the composting industry. This report, which can be downloaded from the USCC website, serves as a concise overview of the 2024-25 legislative cycle.

This year’s report focuses on state and federal legislation, policies, and strategies that affected USCC members from summer 2024 through the 2025 legislative season, from Extended Producer Responsibility bills in MD/CO to shifting federal policy on Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). The legislative season is formally January through June when most state legislatures are in session, though previous Q3 and Q4 activity is included.

The Annual Public Policy Report gives the composting industry a comprehensive and concise view of an ever-changing regulatory landscape. “It is critically important for our members, chapters and stakeholders to be up to date on the bills, regulations and issues we are following,” said Linda Norris-Waldt, Executive Director. “Not only do they need to understand our positions on their behalf, but this understanding helps us in the crucial engagement of their voices in advocacy work.”

The USCC, through its Legislative and Environmental Affairs Committee, focuses on federal and state legislation, working closely with sixteen official state chapters to support composting policy initiatives. The chapters work on local initiatives within their states and help promote USCC programs that may benefit their communities. In their recent Membership Needs Survey, which the USCC conducts biannually to assess its programming and strengthen its ability to serve the composting industry, advocacy was ranked as the most valued program of the USCC by current, lapsed, and prospective members. The Public Policy Report details the USCC’s advocacy efforts of the previous legislative year, showing how those efforts have improved the landscape of policy for composters.

The 2025 policy year experienced a shift in USCC’s advocacy efforts, as the organization welcomed organics recycling industry veteran Chris Snow as the director of public policy. Since joining the organization in May, Snow has provided steadfast leadership in the face of the year’s top policy issues, detailed in the 2025 Public Policy Report. “I am committed to continuing the strong advocacy work that is so important to our members,” said Snow.

The inaugural Public Policy Report was released in 2024 and has been downloaded from the USCC website 118 times since its release. In advance of the 2026 legislative year, the 2025 Public Policy Report can ground the actions of federal, state, and local composting advocates and guide their planning as they look ahead.

Raleigh, NC – The US Composting Council announced today the launch of the Member Connect program, an initiative designed to strengthen relationships between the USCC and members across the country.

Under this program, each USCC staff member will serve as a regional representative, dedicated to one of ten regions in the U.S. These representatives will act as a direct link to USCC, carrying the organization’s mission to support and strengthen the compost industry to each region.

“This program deepens our relationship with our members and responds to our top core values set by our Board of Directors, which calls for ‘delivering member value’,” said Linda Norris-Waldt, Executive Director.

Preliminary results from the USCC’s ongoing biennial Member Needs Survey, through which the organization gauges how well it is meeting the needs of current, former, and prospective members, have shown that USCC members are craving deeper connection with staff and one another. Member Connect will actively target this need, ensuring that the association continues to serve its community effectively.

Membership Coordinator Ksenia Dobbs is heading up launch and deployment of the project. “Each region of the country faces unique challenges in expanding composting and compost use,” she said. “By establishing these regional connections, the Member Connect program ensures that every USCC member has a dedicated contact within the organization who understands the challenges and opportunities of their region.”

The regional representative will be provided with funding to execute initiatives across their regions, including: coordinating regional meet-ups, both virtual and in-person; creating outreach campaigns to build the member network; collaborating with USCC state chapters and local partners; supporting regional advocacy, legislation, and policy developments impacting the compost industry; and more.

The ten regions, which correspond to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s official regions, are:

• Region 1: CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT
• Region 2: NJ, NY, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands
• Region 3: DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV
• Region 4: AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN
• Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI
• Region 6: AR, LA, NM, OK, TX
• Region 7: IA, KS, MO, and NE
• Region 8: CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, and WY
• Region 9: AZ, CA, HI, NV
• Region 10: AK, ID, OR, WA

While the program is organized around ten U.S. regions, international members are also a powerful part of this network—connected to the USCC’s Membership Coordinator, who can share resources and help them build connections in their area, as well as with U.S. members.

As the composting industry grows, the USCC is growing with it. Historically based in the mid-Atlantic region of the country, the organization has been shifting over the past few years to a remote-style workplace with staff spread across different parts of the country. As a national trade organization, this shift has allowed the USCC to better suit the needs of the national composting industry. The Member Connect Program will help the USCC continue this trend, deepening and growing relationships with the composters across the country.

The US Composting Council (USCC) is pleased to announce the results of its annual Board of Directors elections for the 2026-2028 term. The USCC Board of Directors welcomes one new member and three returning members who will guide the council in its mission to advance composting infrastructure, technology, and market development across the United States.

The newly elected and re-elected members are:

Travis Bahnsen, A1 Organics: Compost Manufacturer, returning
Lorrie Rossiter, Erth Products LLC: Compost Manufacturer, returning
Jennifer Trent, Iowa Waste Reduction | University of Iowa: Compost manufacturer, returning
Gaelan Brown, Green Mountain Technologies, Independent Consultant: Affiliate, new

Gaelan Brown, the sole new member, brings 15 years of experience in composting technology and market development, including co-founding the nonprofit Compost Power Network and authorship of The Compost Powered Water Heater book. An independent consultant and leader of the Compost Capital Network, Brown seeks to promote a focus on market value, economics, and financial win-win scenarios to drive commercial composting growth. He expressed interest in serving on the State Chapter Development Committee and Market Development Committee.

Travis Bahnsen, vice president of the USCC Board and a CPA, returns to represent A1 Organics, bringing his financial expertise to the Finance Committee. His primary objectives remain focused on securing legislative protections for composters against liability from inbound contamination, promoting education for best practices, and continuing the mission to expand the market for compost use.

Lorrie Rossiter of Erth Products LLC returns to the board, where she has previously served as President. Rossiter’s objectives include enhancing the "Seal of Testing Assurance" (STA) Program and market development efforts through targeted outreach campaigns and data collection. She also plans to advocate for composters as passive receivers in the discussion on PFAS concerns and support Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation.

Jennifer Trent of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center, and recent USCC President, returns to the board to continue her focus on data collection—particularly end-user data and research on bioremediation—to drive advocacy and policy changes. She also plans to foster stronger, mutually beneficial external relationships with other organizations and work on strategies to encourage farmers and producers nationwide to adopt compost use.

Linda Norris-Waldt, USCC Executive Director, expressed her enthusiasm for the election results. “The depth of experience, commitment, and vision these leaders bring to the USCC is vital as our industry continues to expand,” Norris-Waldt said. “The blend of returning leaders like Jennifer, Lorrie, and Travis, who bring institutional knowledge and deep commitment to our core programs, alongside the entrepreneurial energy and market focus of a new member like Gaelan, ensure the USCC is well-equipped to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities ahead for the composting industry.”

These members will formally begin their three-year terms on January 1, 2026, joining the continuing board members to further the USCC’s mission.

The 2023 Compost Throughput and Environmental Impact Survey was a voluntary assessment distributed to 730 US Composting Council (USCC) members, including compost producers, haulers, researchers, advocates, public agencies, and other stakeholders in the composting industry. Of those invited, 142 respondents completed the survey, representing more than 263 composting facilities across 40 states.

Members of the USCC sequester an estimated 522,538 US tons (474,038 metric tonnes) a year of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq) in soil in 2023. Equivalent to USD $22,753,847 in carbon dioxide value (assuming 1 metric tonne of CO2 is $ 48) based on[1]. Equivalencies can be calculated here: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator. 2,313,424 US tons of compost applied to agricultural land in 2023 (36%) of the total (or scaled up taking into account that the estimated split between markets only adds up to 97% of the total amount of compost produced = 2,381,217 tons)

• US tons converted to metric tonnes
• 86% of compost applied directly to soil. ‘Other markets’ and ‘Direct to public’ disregarded as they may end up in landfill or only used as potting media.

[1] https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/visualized-the-price-of-carbon-around-the-world-in-2024/

Participant Breakdown

Respondents included the following member categories:

●   383 Small Compost Producers

     ○   18% responded

●   85 Medium Compost Producers

     ○   17.6% responded

●   17 Large Compost Producers

     ○   52% responded

●   28 Community Composters

     ○   17.8% responded

●   14 Colleges or University Departments

     ○   37.5% responded

●   10 Farm Operators

     ○   0% responded

●   9 Haulers

     ○   0% responded

●   7 Academic Researchers

     ○   14%  responded

●   6 Advocates

     ○   0% responded

●   12 Nonprofits

     ○   16.7% responded

●   100 Public Agencies

     ○   31% responded

●   10 Students

     ○   0% responded

●   36 Individuals

     ○   5% responded

●   13 Miscellaneous/Unspecified

     ○   15% responded

Geographic Representation

The most frequently represented states were California (17), Colorado (12), New York (10), Florida (10), Washington (9), North Carolina (9), Texas (8), Pennsylvania (8), Oregon (6), Illinois (6), Arizona (5), Iowa (5), Michigan (5), Ohio (5), Minnesota (4), Massachusetts (4), Tennessee (4), Idaho (3), Connecticut (3), Georgia (3), Maine (3), Maryland (3), New Jersey (3), Montana (3), Virginia (3), Wisconsin (3), Utah (2), Missouri (2), South Carolina (2), Rhode Island (2), Arkansas (1), Kentucky (1), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Nebraska (1), Oklahoma (1), South Dakota (1), Vermont (1), Wyoming (1). While this does not reflect the total number of facilities per state, it reflects where the most survey participants were located, which generally aligns with states that have a higher number of USCC members.

States with no representation in this year’s survey include: Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and North Dakota.

Inbound Feedstock Intake

Survey respondents reported processing a total of 14,379,113 tons of organic feedstock in 2023. The breakdown of inbound feedstock sources was as follows:

●   31.14% – Households

      ○   Accepted in 171 facilities

○   Across the following 34 states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

●   28.57% – Other (e.g., yard trimmings, industrial organics, or unspecified)

     ○   Accepted in 136 facilities

     ○   Across the following 34 states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

●   13.55% – Commercial Food Distribution

     ○   Accepted in 124 facilities

     ○   Across the following 28 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

●   16.12% – Restaurants

     ○   Accepted in 125 facilities

○   Across the following 31 states:[1]  Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

●   10.62% – Wastewater Treatment Plants

     ○   Accepted in 73 facilities

     ○   Across the following 23 states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

Distribution of these inputs by feedstock [2] type included:

●   3,034,329.875 tons – Yard Waste (Green Waste)

●   643,528.1542 tons – Food Scraps

●   1,458,436.007  tons – Biosolids

●   337,386.3844 tons – Agriculture Manure

●   130,842.0617 tons – Forestry Byproducts

●   22,339.23188 tons – Crop Residues

●   13,389.85489 tons – Compostable Food Service Ware & Packaging

●   483,584.895 tons – Commingled Yard and Food Waste

●   8,255,276.54[3]  tons - Other*

Yard waste is the most significant input type at composting facilities across the country, which is expected given its widespread availability and the prevalence of collection programs. This is followed by biosolids, reflecting the substantial role they play in composting operations, particularly in relation to regulatory oversight and concerns over contaminants. Food waste ranks third, likely due to gaps in infrastructure, supportive policy, and ongoing challenges with contamination. Agricultural and forestry byproducts, along with crop residues, contribute only modestly; the survey does not investigate the reasons behind their lower volumes. As anticipated, compostable food service ware and packaging are not processed in high volumes, likely due to limited facility capabilities and verification challenges. The “Other” category, which tops the chart, is a catch-all that may reflect nuances in the conversion rates used in the analysis, particularly those aligned with the Model Rule framework.

Finished Compost Output

Facilities collectively reported producing 6,002,260 tons of finished compost in 2023. Distribution of this output by end market included:

●   2160813.6 tons – Agriculture

●   2400904  tons – Commercial Horticulture (e.g., landscapers, nurseries, topsoil blenders)

●   600226 tons – Direct to Public/Retail (bulk and bagged)

●   60022.6 tons – Environmental Remediation (e.g., landfill cover, mine reclamation)

●   240090.4 tons – Turfgrass Management (e.g., golf courses, parks, athletic fields)

●   360135.6 tons – Erosion Control / Stormwater Management / DOT projects

●   240090.4 tons – Other (e.g., donations or not specified)

Sections Pending

●   Permitting Overview
Details to be added on respondent permitting status and regulatory landscape

●   Compostable Products and Food Waste
Discussion of contamination challenges, trends in acceptance of compostable items, and facility preferences to be added

Assumptions

1. Assumptions about green waste, food scrap and biosolids available are the same as the previous iteration of the study.
2. Source - GREEN WASTE FOOD WASTE BIOSOLIDS

From the last survey

2021: What states and member types were represented

EPA carbon sequestration model

Disclaimer: During our comparison of 2021 and 2023 data, we discovered that the reported numbers from one large producer were accidentally overstated by a factor of ten. We also identified a facility located outside the United States that should not have been included. In response, our team spent more than four months working closely with industry members to improve the accuracy and representation of the data, one of several reasons behind the increase in throughput seen in this report.

The STA Program is rolling out a digital process for the Chain of Custody (CoC) and Compost Technical Data Sheets (CTDS) in the USCC Gateway, set to transition on May 1. The new electronic process through the Gateway streamlines documentation, enhances compliance, and improves data utilization. No more manually tracking STA testing; test results will be automatically linked to digital CoC forms and real-time notification will keep everyone informed!

Why the change?

• Stronger consumer confidence in STA Certified™ Compost - Composters will have the ability to automatically cross-reference test results to compost parameters
• Stronger consumer confidence in STA Certified™ Compost - Composters will have the ability to automatically cross-reference test results to compost parameters
• Automated STA Test Tracking - Lab results and test data are automatically linked to Chain of Custody forms, improving record-keeping and reducing the need for manual tracking.
• Fraud Prevention - Compost Technical Data Sheets will now come directly from the USCC Gateway.
• Improved CDTS for State DOT’s - State DOT’s CDTS’s are now all uniform and generated by the USCC Gateway. These now compare actual test data to the individual state’s requirements.
• Data Aggregation & Utilization - The USCC will now be able to aggregate STA Test data electronically for the entire country. This will be useful for both research purposes and filing for federal, state grants and growing the use of STA Certified™ Compost.

Next Steps

1. Start to familiarize yourself with the new system - The new process is now live in the USCC Gateway.
2. Reach out for assistance – USCC staff are available to support participants during this transition. Please contact us at STA@compostingcouncil.org or call us at 301-897-2715, Ext. 0954.

Frank Franciosi
Executive Director

Decades before joining the US Composting Council, my composting journey began when I started my tree service business in New Jersey. We would unload the ground-up limbs and wood chips at a local nursery, where they’d use the material as mulch. I remember one winter after we dumped our usual batch, I felt the heat coming out of a batch we dropped off two days before. I was fascinated by it and realized this was more than just mulch; it was a byproduct that could be something more.

Inspired, I began composting in my own backyard, learning through trial and error while also reading “The Rodale Book of Composting.” It was during this experimenting I learned many valuable lessons, one being the importance of the carbon-nitrogen ratio in a pile when I saw how high the temperature of my pile jumped after adding chicken manure, a rich source of nitrogen. My background in horticulture helped me in understanding the information and process quicker, it was the time and labor of experimenting with my own pile that set a strong foundation for a career in the composting industry.

After a decade in commercial lawn care and tree services and moving around for work, I came to North Carolina to work as the general manager and up-and-coming composting facility in Rocky Mount. This is when I joined the USCC and attended the Maryland School of Composting. I also subscribed to BioCycle Magazine and read it religiously from cover to cover. I still have some of those cherished copies. I developed lifelong friendships with fellow USCC members, colleagues, and mentors who have helped me learn the science, art, and business of composting. We worked with many different agricultural and industrial feedstocks, and it became the first source-separated compost facility in the state. It was just like composting in my backyard: trial and error. Whether it was ag waste, animal mortalities, leftover material from a fiberboard plant – it was an environment to try new things and see what sold and didn’t. And because there was no competition for dark rich compost in the land of red clay, we managed to sell tons.

This was more than three decades ago, and I’ve seen this industry grow to incredible heights since then. Yet, we could still do more to help our communities understand the importance of composting and diverting organics. Organics diversion can ease the strain landfills put on municipalities, lengthening the lifespan of a landfill and reducing the emission of greenhouse gases like methane. It’s also important we share the environmental benefits of compost use for things like soil erosion prevention and stormwater management.

The benefits can be financial, too. Municipalities can develop a market for their finished compost products, and additional quality control and testing can make their customer base confident that the final product is reliable and safe for whatever it’s applied to. Public-private partnerships are also an alternative that have shown strong results. Ultimately, there’s a lot of good that can be done with greater awareness of our industry and the financial investment into it.

As I look back on my career, I think about all the people and organizations that have motivated and inspired me along the way. While there is always work to do, I can say I’m confident in the next generation to continue to push the urgent need for better composting accessibility across the country and the world.

Linda Norris-Waldt
Deputy Director

The compost industry, along with the rest of the United States, is adjusting to a new reality in Washington with the inauguration of President Donald Trump. We at the USCC are watching and planning possible action based on differing scenarios as we wait to see how the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, shake out.

The US Composting Council is feeling the same pain that many of our members have with their frozen grants from programs like the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program, where Table to Farm Compost owner Monique DiGiorgio is coping with frozen funds ( see article here). Recipients of Composting and Food Waste Reduction grants are in similar hiatus. Those two programs brought $23.4 million of economic development to communities before the latest 25 recipients had their announcements frozen. USCC’s Conservation Innovation Grant of more than $4 million for trials to study the impact of compost on range and farmland has similarly been frozen, as well.

We understand the need to ensure the viability and return on investment to the American people for all of these programs, and we hope that DOGE gives composting the opportunity to prove its long-term ROI. As you know, we have lots of resources like our compost benefits webpage that shows the reason compost provides proven ecosystem benefits such as stormwater management, erosion control, and drought resistance for the soils – and yes, we hear the new accepted term for the frequent and destructive storms of the past couple years is now “extreme weather events.”

If we were given the chance to explain, we would also love to tell DOGE about the economic impact of the compost industry. We would use studies like the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s on jobs created from composting (see study here), showing that four compost jobs are employed for every 10,000 tons of material, compared to 2.1 jobs in landfill work and only about one in incineration. That’s twice – and even four times – the number of workers paying taxes and contributing to the economy. The USCC’s Composting State of Practice Study shows, for example, that an average of 13 pieces of heavy equipment are busy toiling at each of the 200 facilities that responded, and BioCycles’ 2023 study shows that composting facilities grew composting access by 49% from 2021 to 2023.

We could make our argument about the economic ripple effect to local economies for construction jobs to build facilities, for equipment bought and maintenance jobs for equipment, and for local suppliers who sustain these businesses on a day-to-day basis.

We will continue to turn our attention to states who regulate our industry and directly benefit from the economic impact above and look to them to expand funding through grant programs. See this table for our 2023 assessment. We’ll also work with partners to develop resources for compost manufacturers to find private funding to expand or begin building. We will advocate for bills like Maryland’s HB42, which provides a $2 tipping fee assessment to create a grant program to expand composting in that state.

While the leadership of the U.S. may want to step back to put a hold on federal priorities, the need for soil health mitigation through compost practices only continues to grow. We can’t afford to stop.

RALEIGH, N.C. January 29, 2025 – The US Composting Council (USCC) proudly celebrated outstanding achievements in the composting industry during its Annual Awards Ceremony at COMPOST2025. Recognizing leaders, innovators, and dedicated contributors to the advancement of composting, this event highlighted the industry’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Below are the recipients and the awards presented during the ceremony:

Florida Crystals, located in Palm Beach County, FL, has been awarded the Compost Manufacturer of the Year for large-scale facilities managing over 10,000 tons of material annually. This recognition celebrates their innovative composting operations, where they convert agricultural residues into high-quality compost. By doing so, Florida Crystals has demonstrated how industrial-scale composting can advance environmental sustainability. Additionally, their work sets a benchmark for integrating composting practices within the agribusiness sector.

The Foodbank of Dayton, Ohio, was recognized as the Compost Manufacturer of the Year – Small Scale for its community composting facility. This facility is the first commercial food waste composting facility in the region and is also assisting the University of Dayton with their composting operations. By diverting food waste from local businesses and providing compost for community gardens, the Foodbank of Dayton facility exemplifies how composting can drive social and environmental benefits. The facility’s model highlights the powerful intersection of food security and sustainability.

The Town of Cary, NC, received the Organics Diversion Program of the Year Award for its Dropoff Program, which began as a pilot initiative and has since become a model for municipalities aiming to implement sustainable waste management practices. The town’s Dropoff Program began in 2022 with a pilot that expanded in 2024 with a second drop-off. To date, 159 tons of compostable material has been collected at these drop-off sites, with 69 tons of that material being collected in 2024 alone. This program’s ability to engage residents and divert significant amounts of organic waste underscores its success.

Neil Edgar was awarded the Hi Kellogg Award for Outstanding Service to the Industry. Neil has consulted on dozens of projects, specializing in green and food materials recovery, technical and financial feasibility, collection options, land use compatibility, site design, operations, grant and loan funding, tipping fee pricing, and market development. His leadership and advocacy have advanced the adoption of composting practices and inspired countless professionals in the field. Neil’s work extends beyond the industry, influencing policy and educating the public about the benefits of composting.

Gary Gittere of McGill Compost Systems was honored with a Board of Directors Service Award for his 14 years of exceptional service on the USCC Board of Directors. During his tenure, Gary led sales and marketing efforts, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to promoting composting nationwide. Gary participated in the USCC Market Development Committee (MDC) and has lead many Compost Operations Trainings Courses (COTCs) while leading the North Carolina Composting Council (NCCC). His strategic vision and marketing expertise helped shape how the compost industry communicates about compost as a soil amendment.

Jeff Ziegenbein, Senior Manager of Organics for Waste Management, received a Board of Directors Service Award in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the USCC Board of Directors. His leadership has been instrumental in advancing organics recycling and fostering industry growth. Jeff has used his expertise to testify at the US Capitol advocating for the compost industry. He has been an active participant in the USCC Executive Committee, Finance Committee, and Membership Committee. Jeff is a leader in the Association of Compost Producers (ACP) and as a board member of the Compost Research and Education Foundation (CREF). Jeff also played a key role in mentoring new leaders within the Council.

Dave Gavlick of St. Louis Composting was celebrated as the Volunteer of the Year for his tireless dedication to making the annual Equipment Demonstration Day (Demo Day) a success year after year. His efforts have significantly enhanced the visibility and impact of this key event, bringing stakeholders together and showcasing industry innovation. Dave’s attention to detail and commitment to collaboration set a high standard for volunteer efforts.

The Top Learner Award is given to someone who is enrolled in the Compost Scholar Program in Compost University™, the US Composting Council’s online learning management system. In 2024, Liv Johansson, Science and Permitting Manager for Engineered Compost Systems, completed 21 hours of coursework in CompostU™ on topics from Using DNA Sequencing to Improve Compost Products, Compost Feedstock in the Circular Economy to Sustainable Landscaping Research.

USCC Young Professional of the Year goes to Lauren Click. Lauren has led transformative efforts in composting accessibility, securing over $200,000 in funding and partnering with over 110 schools nationwide. Her dedication to policy advancement and inclusivity continues to inspire and expand composting initiatives nationwide. Lauren’s accolades include Non-Profit of the Year (Circular Arizona) and the Mercedes-Benz beVisioneers Fellowship. She continues to drive systemic change in composting while pursuing advanced studies in sustainable food systems.

The Arizona Composting Council (AZCC) received the State Chapter Rookie of the Year Award, recognizing their stellar efforts as a newly formed chapter within the past five years. The Arizona Chapter’s innovative approaches and commitment to growth earned them this distinction. Competing through a pitch and Q&A process designed by the USCC Chapter Advisory Committee, the Arizona Chapter’s innovative approaches and commitment to growth earned them this notable distinction.

The Minnesota Composting Council (MNCC) was presented with the State Chapter of Excellence Award for demonstrating outstanding achievements in composting advocacy and operations. Evaluated against criteria set by the USCC’s Chapter Relations and Nominations Committee, their accomplishments reflect excellence in leadership, education, and community engagement. MNCC secured a $935,000 USEPA grant in 2024 to create an Organics Recycling Toolkit aimed at boosting participation and reducing contamination in residential organics recycling programs. Their work in market leadership, policy advocacy, and research underscores their impact on the composting industry.

Nathan Rutz received the H. Clark Gregory Award for his dedication to grassroots composting initiatives. Nathan, has been a key member of the Ohio Organics Council (OHCC), bringing people together from across Ohio to celebrate compost, and is always there to help communities or regions just getting started with their own program. His efforts have brought communities together to embrace composting as a solution for environmental challenges. Nathan is proud of being part of an employee-owned company in Ohio, and he loves to educate people on the power of soil.

Awardees are nominated by peers and honored each year at the US Composting Council's Annual Conference and Tradeshow. The USCC is proud of the outstanding efforts of this year’s group of distinguished awardees.

	Frank Franciosi, executive director

Frank Franciosi
Executive Director

It has been my honor to lead the US Composting Council through significant evolution and growth during the past eight years. This position has been my legacy job in every way. During my tenure, we have been able to significantly expand how the USCC helps its members and the composting industry. The Council is now financially secure, with restricted reserves invested in keeping the organization intact for years to come. Our organization and industry are now poised for growth. Thanks to our membership and vendor contributions, we now have a staff of ten dedicated employees who are committed to serve you all.

These past several years have brought seismic shifts to the industry in terms of new issues and regulations impacting our industry both on a national and state level. No other organization offers the level of support, particularly on public policy advocacy, that the USCC provides to the entire composting industry. I am very grateful to have been part of an amazing team of passionate and talented members, board leaders, consultants, affiliates, vendors, volunteers, and staff shaping the future of our industry.

I am committed to helping ensure the upcoming leadership transition for the Council will be as seamless and successful as possible. With that said, the Executive Committee has unanimously selected Linda Norris-Waldt, your current deputy director, to be your new executive director effective July 1, 2025.

Linda Norris-Waldt, deputy director

Linda attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where she received a bachelor's of science in journalism and a minor in government and politics. Linda has also completed graduate coursework at the University of Maryland in urban planning and business communications. She is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) of the American Society of Association Executives. During Linda’s decade-long tenure with the USCC, she has gathered experience in all aspects of the Council including membership, marketing, young professionals, state chapters, and policy advocacy. Her tireless efforts on advocacy on behalf of the industry and her pursuit of proactive policy positions has raised the profile of the organization, strengthening its reputation as a trusted partner and subject matter expert for policymakers and industry stakeholders. There’s no one more dedicated or experienced to be your new executive director, and the Council will be in good hands under Linda’s leadership.

I have enjoyed my time as your executive director and am grateful for all the professional opportunities and support provided to me throughout. I still plan on staying involved in our industry as a mentor and consultant on a part-time basis. While I will miss the day-to-day interaction with my colleagues and coworkers, I am very much looking forward to the next chapter in my life. I look forward to seeing you all in Phoenix this coming January.

A report summarizing highlights from the 2024 legislative year is now available for members to download on the Member Portal.

In time for the 2025 legislative season, the report focuses on state and federal legislation, policies and strategies that affected USCC members from summer 2023 through the 2024 legislative season – the legislative season is formally January through June when most state legislatures are in session, though previous Q3 and Q4 activity is included.

For members new to our public policy work, the USCC, through our Legislative and Environmental Affairs Committee, focuses on federal and state legislation, working closely with our official state chapters to support state and federal initiatives. Our chapters work on local initiatives within their states and help promote USCC programs that may benefit their communities.

To get involved with our work, visit our committees page and scroll down to find the Legislative and Environmental Affairs Committee.

Click the link below to access the report.

https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/USCC-Policy-Report-2024

The USCC is happy to announce the results of our annual Board of Directors Elections for the 2025 term. The Board welcomes two new members and four returning members.

Newcomers Kate Sullivan and Melissa Filiaggi will join the USCC Board of Directors representing compost manufacturers, bringing new perspectives from years of industry experience. Kate Sullivan is a product manager at McGill Environmental Systems. She is also chair of the USCC State Chapter Advisory Committee and board treasurer of the North Carolina Composting Council. Melissa Filiaggi is the division chief of operations at Maryland Environmental Services and has more than a decade of experience in recycling and composting in the government sector.

This memo provides a snapshot of the 2024 U.S. election outcomes to date, focusing on the Presidential election, results in the House and Senate, and potential changes to key Committees with jurisdiction over issues important to the U.S. Composting Council. As of this writing, there are two Senate races and 27 House races that remain outstanding.

• President
• Senate
• House of Representatives
• Key Committees

PRESIDENT

Early Wednesday morning, former President Donald Trump was announced as the projected winner of the 2024 presidential election over Vice President Kamala Harris. Currently, Trump maintains a 295-226 lead in the Electoral College with 19 undecided electoral votes from close races in Arizona (11) and Nevada (6) left to be decided.

Cabinet Speculation

President-elect Trump has officially launched his transition team and begun evaluating candidates for key cabinet positions. Below is a summary of some of the key roles and individuals being considered. Susie Wiles, who served as Senior Advisor to the Trump 2024 Presidential Campaign, has been named Chief of Staff.

Secretary of Transportation

▪ Representative Garret Graves (R-LA) – Chair of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation
▪ Representative Sam Graves (R-MO) – current Chair of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure

Secretary of State

▪ Ric Grenell – former US Ambassador to Germany (2018-2020), Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations (2019-2021), and current Senior Advisor to the Protecting America Initiative
▪ Robert O’Brien – former US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs (2018-2019)
▪ Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) – former Ambassador to Japan (2017-2019)
▪ Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
▪ Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL)

Secretary of Defense

▪ Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR)
▪ Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL)
▪ Mike Pompeo – former Secretary of State (2018-2021), Director of the CIA (2017-2018), and Representative from Kansas (2011-2017)

Secretary of the Treasury

▪ Howard Lutnick – Partner at Cantor Fitzgerald
▪ Robert Lighthizer – former US Trade Representative (2017-2021)
▪ Jay Clayton – former Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (2017-2020)
▪ Larry Kudlow – Vice Chair of the America First Policy Institute
▪ John Paulson – CEO of Paulson & Co.
▪ Scott Bessent – Founder of Key Square Group
▪ Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN)

Attorney General

▪ Jeff Clark – former Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (2017-2021) and Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division (2020-2021)
▪ Senator Mike Lee (R-UT)
▪ John Ratcliffe – former Director of National Intelligence (2020-2021) and Representative from Texas (2015-2020)

Secretary of Homeland Security

▪ Mark Morgan – former Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (2019-2021), Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (2019), and Chief of Border Patrol (2016-2017)
▪ Thomas Homan – former Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (2017-2018)
▪ Chad Wolf – former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security (2019-2021; contested) and former Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Strategy, Policy, and Plans (2019-2021)

Secretary of Health and Human Services

▪ Bobby Jindal – former Governor of Louisiana (2008-2016) and current Chair of the Center for a Healthy America
▪ Brian Blase – former Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy (2017-2019) and current President of Paragon Health Institute
▪ Eric Hargan – former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (2017-2021)
▪ Paul Mango – former Deputy Chief of Staff for the Department of Health and Human Services (2019-2021) and current Public Advisor at Paragon Health Institute
▪ Joe Grogan – former Director of the Domestic Policy Council (2019-2020)
▪ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – former independent candidate for president and environmental lawyer

Secretary of Commerce

▪ Robert Lighthizer – former US Trade Representative (2017-2021)
▪ Linda McMahon – former Administrator for the Small Business Administration (2017-2019)
▪ Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN)

Secretary of Energy

▪ Dan Brouillette – former Secretary of Energy (2019-2021) and Deputy Secretary of Energy (2017-2019)
▪ Mark Menezes – former Deputy Secretary of Energy (2019-2021) and Under Secretary of Energy (2017-2020)
▪ Governor Doug Burgum (R-ND)
▪ Paul Dabbar – former Under Secretary of Energy for Science (2017-2021)

Secretary of the Interior

▪ David Bernhardt – former Secretary of the Interior (2019-2021)
▪ Katharine MacGregor – former Deputy Secretary of the Interior (2019-2021) and current Vice President of Environmental Services at NextEra Energy
▪ Governor Doug Burgum (R-ND)
▪ Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)

Secretary of Agriculture

▪ Agriculture Commissioner of Texas Sid Miller
▪ Kip Tom – Co-Chair of Farmers and Ranchers for Trump
▪ Ted McKinney – former Undersecretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (2017-2021)
▪ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – former independent candidate for president and environmental lawyer

Secretary of Labor

▪ Patrick Pizzella – former Deputy Secretary of Labor (2018-2021)
▪ Virginia Secretary of Labor G. Bryan Slater

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

▪ Ben Carson – former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (2017-2021)
▪ Senator Tim Scott (R-SC)
▪ Brian Montgomery – former Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (2019-2021), Assistant Secretary for Housing and Urban Development (2018-2020), and White House Cabinet Secretary (2003-2005)

Secretary of Education

▪ Betsy DeVos – former Secretary of Education (2017-2021)
▪ Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Schools Ryan Walters
▪ Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA)
▪ Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY)
▪ Tiffany Justice – co-founder of Moms for Liberty

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

▪ Robert Wilkie – former Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2018-2021) and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (2017-2018)
▪ Representative Matt Rosendale (R-MT)

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator

▪ Andrew Wheeler – former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2018-2021), Deputy EPA Administrator (2018-2019), and Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources (2022)
▪ Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto – former Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service (2020-2021)
▪ Mandy Gunasekara – former EPA Chief of Staff (2020-2021)

U.S. Trade Representative

▪ Robert Lighthizer – former U.S. Trade Representative (2017-2021)
▪ Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN)
▪ Jamieson Greer – Chief of Staff to former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (2017-2020)
▪ Jeffrey Gerrish – former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative (2018-2020) and Acting Chairman and President of the U.S. Export-Import Bank (2018-2019)

U.N. Ambassador

▪ Kelly Craft – former Ambassador to the United Nations (2019-2021)
▪ Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY)
▪ Brian Hook – former Special Representative for Iran (2018-2020) and Director of Policy Planning at the State Department

SENATE

Before the election, Democrats held a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate. As it stands now, the balance has shifted to 52 Republicans and 45 Democrats, giving Republicans a net gain of three seats. Three races remain undecided in Arizona and Nevada. With this shift, Republicans will control the Senate in the 119th Congress, with Vice President-elect JD Vance set to preside over the chamber. Vance will resign his Senate seat in January to assume the Vice Presidency, creating a vacancy that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will fill through an appointment.

**Note: Some media outlets have called the Pennsylvania race for David McCormick, while others await the final vote count. This chart does not reflect the call in Pennsylvania.

NEW SENATORS FOR 119th

INCUMBENT SENATORS WHO WON RE-ELECTION

▪ Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
▪ John Barrasso (R-WY)
▪ Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
▪ Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
▪ Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
▪ Ted Cruz (R-TX)
▪ Deb Fischer (R-NE)
▪ Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
▪ Josh Hawley (R-MO)
▪ Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
▪ Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
▪ Tim Kaine (D-VA)
▪ Angus King (I-ME)
▪ Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
▪ Chris Murphy (D-CT)
▪ Pete Ricketts (R-NE)
▪ Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
▪ Rick Scott (R-FL)
▪ Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
▪ Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
▪ Roger Wicker (R-MS)

UNDECIDED SENATE RACES

▪ Arizona: Representative Rueben Gallego (D) vs. Kari Lake (R)
▪ Nevada: Senator Jackie Rosen (D) vs. Sam Brown (R)

Senate Leadership Elections

Senate Republicans will hold their leadership elections on November 13th, following Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision to step down. The race to succeed him as Leader includes Senators John Cornyn (TX), John Thune (SD), and Rick Scott (FL). Meanwhile, Senator John Barrasso (WY) is running unopposed for the position of Whip.

On the Democratic side, leadership elections are expected to take place in early December, though no specific date has been announced. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is anticipated to run for another term, with Senator Dick Durbin likely to seek re-election as Whip.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Coming into the election, Republicans held a 220-214 majority in the House over Democrats, with one vacancy. As results continue to be tabulated, the current balance in the House based on election projections is 211 Republicans and 199 Democrats, with 27 races still undecided. Republicans need to win seven more seats to retain their majority for the 119th Congress.

Seats Flipped

*Incumbent

Outstanding Races

*Incumbent

Leadership Elections

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced that House Republicans will hold their leadership elections on November 13th. If Republicans maintain control of the House, Johnson is anticipated to run for Speaker, with Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) expected to seek to retain their current roles.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced that Democrats will hold their leadership elections on November 19th. Jeffries is expected to run for re-election as leader of the House Democrats, while Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) is anticipated to seek another term in her position.

KEY COMMITTEES

Here’s what we know about the leadership positions for key Committees with jurisdiction over environmental and agricultural issues important to your members.

House Agriculture Committee

Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) is expected to continue to lead Republicans with David Scott (D-GA) or Jim Costa (D-CA) leading Democrats.

House Energy and Commerce

With current Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) retiring, Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Bob Latta (R-OH), and Richard Hudson (R-NC) are reportedly interested in leading Republicans with Frank Pallone (D-NJ) continuing to lead Democrats.

House Natural Resources

Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR) is expected to continue to lead Republicans with Ranking Member Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) continuing to lead Democrats.

House Transportation and Infrastructure

Chair Sam Graves (R-MO) is term limited by Republican Conference rules but is expected to seek a waiver to continue leading Republicans. Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR) and Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC) are also reportedly interested in leading Republicans. Ranking Member Rick Larson (D-WA) continuing to lead Democrats.

Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

Current Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) will move to become the Chair of the Agriculture Committee, with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) expected to take over the top Democrat spot for the retiring Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). The committee’s focus will likely remain on passing a new farm bill.

Senate Environment and Public Works

Ranking Member Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) will continue to lead Republicans on the panel. Current Chair Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is likely to move from the Budget Committee to lead Democrats, where he can focus even more on the climate issues he prioritizes. The next three Democrats in line to be the new Ranking Member include Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Ed Markey (D-MA). Under the Republicans, the Committee will likely work to reverse Biden policies fall within the jurisdiction of the EPW committee.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources

If current Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY) is elected Republican Whip and he will no longer be able to chair a committee. It is expected that Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) would become the Chair in the 119th Congress. With Ranking Member Joe Manchin (D-WV) retiring, Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) is likely to lead Democrats.

Raleigh North Carolina – August 8th 2024 – The US Composting Council (USCC) and the US Biochar Initiative (USBI) are proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to establish a formal partnership. This collaboration aims to enhance soil health, water quality, and sustainability through the combined use of compost and biochar.

The partnership is designed to leverage the strengths of both organizations in achieving shared environmental goals. 

Key Areas of Shared Interest

The USBI-USCC Partnership is built on the following shared goals:

1. Improve plant health through compost and biochar use as soil amendments;  
2. Improve soil structure through compost and biochar use as soil amendments;  
3. Improve water quality and water conservation through biochar and compost use as soil amendments;
4. Reduce soil erosion with biochar and compost use as soil amendments;
5. Dispose of and use plant waste through the composting and biochar processes to reduce odor, reduce  greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon, and create valuable materials;
6. Promoting the value of biochar and composting to assist in the development of sustainable communities. 

The programs to be initiated through this Partnership are based on a spirit of cooperation, reciprocity and of mutual benefit to both parties. USBI and USCC wish to seek out opportunities to cross-promote initiatives and campaigns that raise public awareness and inspire individuals and USBI and USCC agree to professional exchanges in various policy, education, and research opportunities.

"A partnership with USBI is a natural fit for the USCC as Compost and Biochar are excellent partner products to improve porosity, increase organic matter, and conserve water.," said Frank Franciosi, Executive Director of the USCC. "This partnership will bolster our mission of promoting composting as an integral component of soil health and organics recycling."

"This partnership creates significant biochar market development opportunity, with the potential for composters to integrate biochar into their operations, both by producing biochar as waste management tool and by using biochar to improve the composting process and the quality of the final product," said Myles Gray, USBI Program Director. "By combining our strengths, we hope to drive large-scale advancements in soil health and carbon sequestration, unlocking substantial growth potential for both industries while benefiting farmers and the environment."

RALEIGH, NC, July 23, 2024 — The US Composting Council (USCC) has been awarded a grant of $4,400,750 as part of the USDA's 2023 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). This significant investment will fund the "Comparative and Ongoing Compost Application Trials to Guide and Incentivize Best Use" project, aimed at enhancing compost application practices across diverse agricultural systems.

USCC Executive Director Frank Franciosi said, "The compost industry has long known about the benefits of compost application on soil health and water holding capacity. Whereas good data does exist to support these claims, more data, guidance, and information dissemination will bolster the compost industry, and compost use. Soil health is a key component of the US Composting Councils mission and we are emboldened by this dedication of funds to assist with solidifying composts connection to conserving our soil."

Project Overview:

The US Composting Council will lead this initiative in collaboration with top researchers and implementation partners across three states: California, Colorado, and Washington. The project will conduct 88 Soil Health Demonstration (SHD) trials to evaluate the environmental, economic, and social benefits of compost application. These trials will take place across various soil types, compost types/rates, and production systems.

Key objectives of the project include:

• Assessing the impact of compost on soil carbon, water-holding capacity, and overall soil health.
• Developing accessible compost application guidance for producers and technical assistance providers.
• Informing potential updates to the NRCS guidance related to Conservation Practice Standard 336.
• Providing interoperable data to improve the DayCent and MEMS models.

Through these comprehensive trials, the USCC aims to demonstrate the agronomic, social, and environmental benefits of compost, ultimately guiding best practices and incentivizing wider adoption of compost use in agriculture.

The grant will be carried out with partners Anthony Myint, Zero Foodprint, Dr. Jessica Chiartas, Soil Life Sciences, Jeff Borum JAIDE Conservation Collective, Dr. Sally Brown, University of Washington, Shawn Bruckman, Eagle County Conservation District, Dr. Sarah Light, PhD/UCCE, Sutter-Yuba UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE), Michael Lufkin, King County, WA, Dr. Megan Machmuller, Colorado State University, Thelma Velez/Organic Farming and Research Foundation, and the Compost Research and Education Foundation.

Normally when we hear “I’m from the government and I’m here to help,” folks can be a bit skeptical, but this time when the Bureau of Labor Statistics reaches out USCC wants composters to pick up the phone!

The BLS is preparing to launch a much-needed industry study based on the code we have secured in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS 325315 Compost manufacturing). Data from this study will update the sample of goods and services that makes up the monthly Producer Price Index data for our industry. The PPI tracks prices for most goods and services produced in the United States and all indexes are available for free online at www.bls.gov/ppi.

The USCC has met with the lead investigators in this study at BLS and wholly endorses this effort. For our industry, sound economic policy and successful business planning requires reliable, accurate and timely data, which we have been working hard to secure for business planning, banking, loans, and many other important purposes. The PPI is one of the nation’s primary measures of price change for goods and services produced in the U.S. The quality of PPI data depends greatly on the number of businesses responding to the PPI survey, so your participation will help us all.

Greater industry recognition, especially from the federal government, helps build future opportunities such as grants and programs that will encourage people and companies to compost. Right now, the avenues for industry support are narrow, and legislative and regulatory inconsistencies varying by state and municipality make it difficult to reach a general consensus on our work at the federal level. Our executive director, Frank Franciosi, recently met with CNBC to discuss this very issue, owing it to a lack of bipartisan support.

States such as Vermont and California have taken the initiative with mandatory composting laws or separation of organic waste from landfill trash, and this has other states considering similar efforts. The more widespread these practices become, the more likely we can receive bipartisan support on future programs and proposals.

Frank also shared in his interview that substantial industry growth requires more composting facilities, an obstacle that can, however, be overcome with federal efforts such as low-interest loans or grants for municipalities or private individuals to build these facilities. Efforts like this survey are key opportunities to let the federal government know that our industry warrants its support and recognition.

If you're called upon to volunteer, you'll only need to spend a few minutes each month to provide information on a selection of your organizations’ transactions. All data is used for statistical purposes only and in aggregated form, so no individual firm is identifiable. See www.bls.gov/respondents/ppi for more information about participating in the survey.

You'll be assigned an economist who will help you not only to report prices but to be your information source on PPI data.

The collection of this data is a big step forward for our growing industry and will secure our place as a long-term player in the U.S. economy, as we already know we are! Please do your part to help us achieve this goal.

The new strategy has had a long road, that began in 2015 when USCC, the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) and other partners were part of the announcement. The strategy was open for comment in fall 2023, at the same time the EPA released a long-awaited revision to the food waste hierarchy. This new “Wasted Food Scale” prioritized actions that prevent and divert wasted food from disposal. Tiers of the food waste scale highlight different pathways for preventing or managing wasted food in order, from most preferred to least preferred. The USCC believes composting is the superior and most economical option for inedible food scraps.

USCC Executive Director Frank Franciosi said, "Composting is a vital component in this uphill battle, and we encourage all individuals to continue to support composting as the organics recycling method of choice. Compost as a product has the unmatched capacity to enable climate resilient landscapes through actively improving soils and managing for environmental stressors such as flooding and drought. It also actively replenishes the soil with an amendment that sequesters carbon, increases water retention, increases soil health, and reduces soil erosion."

The main objectives of the Biden Administration’s strategy are to: prevent food loss, prevent food waste, increase the recycling rate for all organic waste, and support policies that incentivize and encourage the prevention of food loss and waste and organics recycling.

In enacting this new National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics, the EPA is including a number of recommendations that the USCC and others suggested in 2023:

1. The USCC applauds the critical recognition of the many benefits that inedible food turned into compost can provide.
2. USCC called on the agencies involved to tap a lead agency on addressing data gaps related to the consequences of food loss and waste. This National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics seeks to close that knowledge gap especially in its relation to the new food waste scale and quantifying the benefits of composting/ compost nationwide.
3. The acknowledgment of the federal role in providing and/or stimulating incentives for infrastructure funding (such as the proposed Compost Act).
4. Highlighting the importance of compost application as a tool for carbon sequestration and water conservation within the reality of climate change and severe droughts

Furthermore, the strategy includes grants and funding related to compost, community composting, and organics recycling including, but not limited to the following:

• $75 million in grants for supporting education and outreach efforts for food and organics recycling
• $30 million over three years through Composting and Food Waste Reduction cooperative agreements
• $275 million in grants through the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program* 52 (part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law*) for capacity building and training for underserved communities through the SWIFR program.
• The Community Change Grant program receiving $2B in funding for environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities
• $5B in grants to states, local governments, tribes and territories that could fund programs and incentives that reduce or divert food and/or yard waste through improved production practices, improved collection services, and increased reuse or recycling rates.

The need for infrastructure for all pathways for addressing wasted food is acknowledged in the new Strategy, an important priority for composting in the U.S. The USCC estimates that 300-500 more food waste compost facilities are needed across the U.S. to turn inedible food into the organic matter provided by compost to enhance the soil. The USCC applauds the requests for educational materials, the increase in market awareness for compost and the funding for programs to increase our national capacity to transform food waste into compost and other beneficial products.

Find the Strategy, and USCC’s comments, at https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/national-foodwaste-strategy

The Composting Caucus will serve as an informal group of members dedicated to supporting efforts to advance compost utilization, compost manufacturing, and organics recycling, collection, and education programs that lead to composting. “USCC wants to work with caucus members to provide information about how compost and composting can grow local economies with vital green jobs, sequester carbon and mitigate climate change impacts through composts’ ability to combat drought resilience, filter stormwater, and provide vital organic matter to amend healthy soil,” said Frank Franciosi, Executive Director, US Composting Council.

"This is something that can bring members on both sides of the aisle together," said Rep. Burchett, who ran a composting business in his home state of Tennessee in the 1990s.. "There's a lot of good things that can be done when it comes to composting and recycling, and launching this caucus is a good first step to get members working on it together." Burchett is a cosponsor of the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act, to bring together needed economic data on the recycling and composting industries, and Rep. Brownley is the three-time cosponsor of the Compost Act, providing funding for compost business investment and startup costs.

The USCC hopes to work with other coalitions to educate Congresspersons and congressional staff through briefings, tours and networking events offered through the Compost Caucus.

If you are a House of Representatives member who wishes to join, or want to ask your Representative to be part of the caucus, contact Kelsey Wolfgram or Scott Weathers.

Matt Ball, CCOMTM bids the US Composting Council farewell as Director of Industry Development to pursue other opportunities. The USCC board of directors, committee members, and fellow staff members wish him good fortune on his next ventures. 

During his time with the Council, Matt has made a major impact with establishing partnerships in the ASLA, NALP, and the USDA. He has also worked with the Market Development Committee on the rebranding of the STA CertifiedTM Compost Program. As the STA Program Manager, Matt has worked with both staff, the STA Advisory Committee and our STA Gateway Developer to close out Phase III of the gateway project. This year, Matt was the lead on organizing one of our most successful equipment demonstration days ever. Matt’s skill set and demeanor are some of his best traits. He will sorely be missed, but we wish him well on his next endeavor and hope he stays connected with the greater composting community. Let’s all wish Matt the best of luck.

The State Chapter Affiliates in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia are recipients of the first awards in the Chapter Rewards Program, a USCC initiative to encourage state chapters to adopt best practices for greater effectiveness in their region.

In April, these chapters presented Best Practice Matrix forms to the Chapter Advisory Committee (CAC) for consideration. The $10,000 in additional support funding allocated to these chapters is a testament to their dedication to implementing proven strategies for success.

These awards, in which each qualifying state received a share of the $10,000 fund, are an addition to the standard rebate checks received by USCC chapters based on renewals and new member recruitment from their respective states.

"Congratulations to the winning chapters," said CAC Chair Kate Sullivan. "The CAC is excited about the program’s growth potential and looks forward to supporting all chapters in their pursuit of excellence."

Wondering how you can leverage the resources offered by the USCC Young Professionals Program? Look no further than the YP Mentorship Program, now accepting applications for the upcoming year. Applications close April 26, 2024. 

The Young Professionals Mentorship Program is a yearly initiative designed to bridge the gap between students and beginner composters and seasoned experts within the compost industry.

Become a Mentor!

Are you a seasoned expert in the composting industry, eager to share your knowledge and pass the torch to the next generation of leaders? Join us as a mentor in our YP Mentorship Program! Click here to apply. 

Become a Mentee!

Are you an ambitious individual ready to grow and thrive in the composting industry? Join the Young Professionals Mentorship Program as a mentee! Connect with passionate professionals who are committed to sharing their insights and supporting your journey.  Click here to apply. 

Click here to learn more on our webpage.