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 From the Top of the Pile
Linda Norris-Waldt
Executive Director For our compost producers, which make up more than 50% of our membership: How many of you started your business with an MBA, or even a basic finance background?
Having worked with compost producers since 2013, I have seen most of our composters come into the business from a perspective of mission—soil health, addressing climate concerns, or observing a need in their community—for soil regeneration, landfill diversion, or even demand from citizens. Some have a business background when coming from the landscape contractor side.
All in all, my observation is that many composters feel most vulnerable when it comes to setting prices and salaries, recruiting staff, and determining markets. Indeed, our every-other-year membership surveys always put “education“ as a top ask for USCC, and my theory is that business education in the context of running a compost business is a big part of that ask. For sure, you can’t (substitute any high-level goal: regenerate our soils, reverse climate change, provide livable wages, build up communities, increase food nutrition) unless you have a financially sustainable business model.
So, you are going to see more and more USCC projects that are aimed at that goal, and a few are already there for your participation…
USCC NEWS
Join us for COMPOST2026: Golden State of Compost in Sacramento, February 2nd - 5th, 2026! This premier event brings together composters, industry leaders, and sustainability experts from across the nation. With seven interactive workshops, three tours, over 100 inspiring speakers, 100+ exhibitors on our trade show floor, and our equipment Demonstration Day, COMPOST2026 is the can't-miss event of the year for everyone in the composting industry!
Stay tuned for more details about speakers, exhibitors, and special events. Be sure to register early and take advantage of early bird pricing, available until November 20th. Members, please be sure to log in with your USCC membership credentials to get the member rate. We can't wait to see you in Sacramento!
The US Composting Council has launched the Compost Industry Salary and Benefits Benchmarking Study, the first of its kind for our industry.
Already, the many companies, nonprofits, and municipalities in the composting industry who provided us with a point of contact for the study have received instructions for participation and have begun filling out the survey. We want to encourage all of our members to join them in helping us create a robust data set for this study. If you and your team would like to help in this landmark study, you can sign up today! The first 30 participants will be entered into a raffle for a $100 Visa Gift Card!
ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY BRIEFS
On August 1, the US Department of Agriculture announced the opening of the comment period for stakeholders to provide feedback on the Department’s Reorganization Plan. They have subsequently extended the comment period to September 30, 2025. The Secretary’s memorandum issued on July 24, 2025, provided the Department’s reorganization plan.
The USDA’s proposed reorganization plan includes the closure of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Maryland, which will greatly impact federal compost research. The BARC and its Program has been home to the Giants of Composting, who have long worked to Make America's Soil Healthy Again! Rufus Chaney, Frank Gouin, Pat Millner, and the scientists following in their footsteps have contributed to groundbreaking research into compost use, science, and biology.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
We’d like to congratulate Cody Salazar for completing his professional certification process to become a Certified Compost Operations Manager (CCOM)™!
Cody is the District Manager for Waste Management’s Oceanside, El Corazon composting facility. Cody started at WM 7 years ago, beginning as a heavy equipment operator and working his way up to the District Manager role.
When asked why he pursued USCC Professional Certification, Cody said, “After taking the Compost Operations Training Course this year in San Diego, I knew I wanted to pursue certification, not just for WM, but because I fell in love with composting and wanted to continue being educated on the subject. Beyond the career incentives, it was a personal goal for me to pursue and further my passion for composting.”
COMPOST USE
On August 8th, Ron Alexander of R. Alexander Associates, Inc., and Sam Dixon of the US Composting Council, both Industry Liaisons to the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO), traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, to represent the compost industry at the AAPFCO’s Summer Annual.
For those unfamiliar, AAPFCO is the professional association of state regulatory control officials—often from Departments of Agriculture or State Extension Services—who oversee registration of and labeling and marketing claims for agricultural and horticultural products. These products range from fertilizers and soil amendments, to beneficial substances, growing media, liming agents, biostimulants, and more. Compost is currently registered as a soil amendment or fertilizer.
STATE CHAPTER NEWS
The Georgia Composting Council (GCC) recently held its inaugural Legislative Town Hall. As a relatively new chapter, having formed in February 2024, this event served to introduce the organization and the composting industry as a whole to legislators, municipal representatives, and aligned stakeholder groups.
The Town Hall was organized through the hard work of the GCC’s Advocacy Committee, which has twelve active members whose work is crucial to the chapter’s mission. The Committee’s goal for the Town Hall was to introduce the GCC to important stakeholders in order to grow opportunities for collaboration and raise awareness of the successes and challenges that the Georgia composting industry faces.
The Association of Compost Producers (ACP), the California affiliate chapter of the USCC, represented the composting industry at the annual California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) Conference. The CRRA is California’s statewide recycling association. Their annual Conference gathers over 800 professionals from across materials recycling industries, including plastics, e-waste, organics, and more.
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
We are thrilled to highlight Clara Bement as September’s YP of the Month! Clara is the Urban Garden Lead at The Foodbank, Inc., in Dayton, Ohio.
Clara has been working at The Foodbank, Inc. in Dayton, Ohio, for 4 years. The Foodbank operates an EPA-licensed Class II food waste composting facility that processes material from the community as well as spoilage from the warehouse. With food banks nationwide truly being integral in preventing food waste from grocery stores, composting goes hand in hand with their operations, as there's inevitably lots of food waste in the supply chain before it even gets to the consumer. The Foodbank, Inc. rescued over 5.5 million pounds of food last year just from retailers. Clara is incredibly inspired by her garden teammates, James Hoffer and Courtney Curtner. The two of them, as well as several dedicated volunteers, are responsible for diverting over 100,000 pounds of food scraps from the landfill just last year and converting them into an incredibly rich soil that grows the next season's fresh produce for the community in the urban garden.
The USCC Young Professionals (YP) Group is launching a new monthly spotlight for educators around the US! Each month, we will feature a YP educator who is involved in composting at their school or organization in both the USCC monthly newsletter as well as on our group's LinkedIn Group!
Established in 2013, the USCC YP Group engages future industry leaders with the US Composting Council’s membership community through networking and career development opportunities. According to USCC, a YP is anyone between 21-35 years old or has less than five years of experience.
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone you know to be featured as an upcoming USCC YP Educator Spotlight, fill out the form linked below.
Are you a passionate young professional looking to connect with like-minded individuals in the composting industry? Look no further! We invite you to join our vibrant and engaging Slack community.
By joining our Slack, you'll have the opportunity to:
It's easy to get started! Simply click the button below to join our Slack community and start connecting with fellow Young Professionals today. MEMBER NEWS
USCC Member Purple Cow Organics recently held a tour of their Madison, Wisconsin facility for Dane County Executive Melissa Agard.
Purple Cow manages four compost facilities across Wisconsin, with three located in Dane County and one in Waukesha County. They compost leaf and yard waste at their facility, as well as food waste that is collected from businesses and from residential food waste drop-off locations that are run through a partnership with Dane County..
The Dane County residential collection program had 1,000 sign-ups in its first month of operation. Jerod Reuter, COO of Purple Cow, said, “Executive Agard was excited to see how the new food waste diversion program is working and the difference it is making in the community and towards Dane County’s climate goals.” Bringing Executive Agard onto their composting facility to learn, ask questions, and propose new ideas strengthened the public-private partnership between Purple Cow and Dane County, setting the stage for future growth of the program.
The City of San Mateo, California, a USCC Public Agency Member, is launching a compost cost-share pilot program in collaboration with the Placer Resource Conservation District. Assistance will be provided to Placer County Farmers and Ranchers looking to apply compost to rangeland, cropland, orchards, vineyards, and pasture. The program can provide up to $67 of assistance per ton of compost.
Applying compost to agricultural lands is incredibly beneficial to soil health, and to agricultural yields as a result. Compost is particularly impactful in drought-prone areas, as it increases soil’s water-holding capacity and improves soil’s structure and infiltration.
Corporate Composting Leadership Council (CCLC) member Closed Loop Partners has published its impact report for 2024. Closed Loop Partners works to create and foster scalable circular systems that keep materials in circulation and out of landfills. In their Impact Report, they detail the 16 million tons of materials that they helped keep in circulation through their solutions in 2024. The Report also addresses the successes of their compostable packaging disintegration study that was conducted through their Composting Consortium.
OPPORTUNITIES, JOBS AND GRANTS
This part-time, remote position will lead the Compostable Field Testing Program at the Compost Research and Education Foundation (CREF). Ideal candidates are self-directed and mission-driven, with strong project management skills and a passion for sustainability, composting, and the circular economy. As the Program Manager, you will shape a growing and globally significant research program through the development and execution of detailed work plans, timelines, and budgets, among other responsibilities.
The North Carolina Composting Council (NCCC) is offering three grants of $1,000 for individual or group projects that are furthering composting, compost use, or compost education in North Carolina. The project cannot be for home use and must benefit a community or the industry. Projects can include anything from educational materials to materials for composting units to university studies. Grant applications are due by October 20th, 2025. See below for more details.
Compost Research & Education Foundation News
CREF invites you to join an upcoming Compost Operations Training Course (COTC) this fall: October 27–31 in Novi, Michigan, or November 17–21 in Fort Collins, Colorado.
In October, the COTC returns to Michigan for the first time since 2022 with support from the Michigan Organics Council. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is subsidizing 15 registrations for this training to increase accessibility for Michigan-based composters. Just a few spots remain, and a $100-off Early Bird special is available until September 15!
Next up, Colorado will host a COTC for the second year in a row, reflecting statewide education requirements for compost facility staff and building upon collaboration with the Colorado Composting Council. Early Bird pricing is available until October 6.
The Compost Research & Education Foundation (CREF) is excited to announce the launch of its redesigned website, offering supporters a fresh and more user-friendly experience.
The new site features streamlined navigation, improved access to research and educational resources, and a modernized store and donation platform. These updates make it easier than ever for donors, sponsors, and community members to engage with CREF’s mission of advancing compost education and research.
The International Compost Alliance (ICA) follows a thoughtful process each year to select the theme for International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW). For 2026, we began by choosing one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) as our anchor. The ICAW Committee and ICA members agreed to focus on SDG 15: Life on Land, which emphasizes protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
From there, members of the ICAW Committee and ICA brainstormed potential theme ideas that would connect composting to this global goal. After several rounds of discussion, review, and refinement, the final list of themes was put to a vote. Following the ICA’s final decision, we are proud to announce the selected theme for ICAW 2026:
Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us.
As compostable packaging gains traction, there is a growing need for standardized testing methods that all stakeholders can rely on. In 2022, the Compostable Field Testing Program (CFTP) team joined a transdisciplinary initiative under the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International to standardize the methods to field test compostable products. The CFTP donated its field test protocols and co-authored the revisions to the documents over 3 years, and both test methods—mesh bag and dose—have now been published. This marks a major milestone in the evolution of field testing towards consistent, reliable, transparent methodologies producing reliable data on compostable item performance across diverse compost sites.
IN THE HEADLINES
Alex Kuffner, Providence Journal
Two Rhode Island communities, Bristol and Barrington, are launching the first municipal curbside composting pilot programs in the state. Residents can sign up now to participate in weekly curbside organics collection, which will launch on September 18th. These communities are looking forward to the environmental and economic benefits that will come from diverting organic material away from local landfills. The program will operate in partnership with USCC Member Black Earth Compost.
Cara Giamo, Sierra
Compostable bags can lead to successes, challenges, confusion, and clarity for composters and users alike. In particular, Diane Hazard, Executive Director of the Compost Research and Education Foundation, elaborates on the ever-changing landscape of compostable products and how CREF, in collaboration with BSIbio, launched the Compostable Field Testing Program to help compost operators understand how different products break down in real-world conditions.
Diane Rumbaugh, Patch
Soil compaction, and the erosion that results from compacted soil, is just one of the many harms that wildfires wreak on a landscape. Adding compost to wildfire-affected land replenishes the organic matter that soil loses during a wildfire and helps soil regain its permeability and ability to hold water. Rick Wilson, PhD, chief science officer at USCC member Agromin, discusses the various reasons homeowners and municipalities should consider utilizing compost in post-wildfire restoration efforts.
Mary Catherine O’Connor, WasteDive
Organic waste mandates and bans are increasingly cropping up in states and major cities across the country, and proper source separation and contamination remain a primary issue for the implementation of these new laws. Of all housing types, multi-family apartment buildings consistently generate the highest rates of contamination. In cities like San Francisco, companies providing on-site waste handling and sorting services, sometimes called “trash valets,” are presenting building owners with an option to benefit tenants and avoid contamination fees.
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