This panel highlights the USCC Young Professionals Group’s Emerging Composter Challenge, which has awarded over $47,000 in seed funding to composting innovators since 2018. Past winners share their experiences, project evolution, and lessons in navigating contamination, compliance, financing, and scaling operations. The session offers practical insights on de-risking innovation, forming partnerships, attracting investment, and engaging… Continue reading VIS.122-Lessons Learned by Emerging Composter Winners (2018-2025)-AC26.USCC
Author: Alec Resha
BUS.249-From the Ground Up – How Composters Are Financing Sustaina…-AC26.USCC
This session presents real-world case studies of how composters have financed their operations using traditional and non-traditional methods. Attendees will gain practical insights, lessons learned, and inspiration for securing funding, from first loans to larger capital raises. The content of this course is covered by Copyright and Licensing, Privacy and Terms of Service and Use… Continue reading BUS.249-From the Ground Up – How Composters Are Financing Sustaina…-AC26.USCC
BUS.141-Building Your Team with Culture-One Moment at a Time-AC26.USCC
Chris’s keynote provides practical strategies for attracting, retaining, and motivating front-line composting employees amid workforce shortages. Attendees will learn how to leverage everyday interactions to build high-performance teams and foster a sustainable, engaged organizational culture. The content of this course is covered by Copyright and Licensing, Privacy and Terms of Service and Use and shall… Continue reading BUS.141-Building Your Team with Culture-One Moment at a Time-AC26.USCC
DIV.240-Finding Solutions for Edible Food Recovery-AC26.USCC
This presentation examines California’s regional edible food recovery programs under SB 1383, highlighting successes, challenges, and future opportunities. It explores strategies to support food recovery efforts that divert organics from waste while feeding communities and advancing statewide diversion goals. The content of this course is covered by Copyright and Licensing, Privacy and Terms of Service… Continue reading DIV.240-Finding Solutions for Edible Food Recovery-AC26.USCC
DIV.239-Local Farms Local Solutions – The Role of On-Farm Compost…-AC26.USCC
This presentation highlights how rural farms can turn food waste into high-quality compost, improving soil health, reducing synthetic fertilizer use, and supporting local food systems. Insights come from a USDA-funded project with 13 farms in Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York, offering technical assistance, training, and a practical on-farm composting toolkit. The approach promotes community… Continue reading DIV.239-Local Farms Local Solutions – The Role of On-Farm Compost…-AC26.USCC
DIV.238-CompostHere – A Tech Forward Approach to Expanding Compost…-AC26.USCC
CompostNow addressed the challenge of balancing accessibility and contamination in municipal compost drop-off programs. Their 2024 case study, CompostHere in Durham, North Carolina, features tech-enabled, access-controlled cart housing stations paired with an app. The session highlights program development, station design, and best practices for integrating such systems to make composting more accessible while maintaining low… Continue reading DIV.238-CompostHere – A Tech Forward Approach to Expanding Compost…-AC26.USCC
POL.244-Potential Changes to California Legislation SB 279-AC26.USCC
Mapping feedstock availability in California revealed about 65 million tons of underutilized agricultural and forestry materials annually. This data supported policy changes allowing agricultural composters to accept off-site materials during biomass surges. By aligning composting capacity with when and where materials are generated, the approach increases organics processing capacity, reduces hauling distances, strengthens local economies,… Continue reading POL.244-Potential Changes to California Legislation SB 279-AC26.USCC
VIS.228-Central California Compost Crisis-AC26.USCC
New composting facilities in California’s San Joaquin Valley face a financial crisis due to skyrocketing air emission offset costs within the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJAPCD). Offset prices have increased more than 40-fold since 2020, making new projects largely unaffordable. This paper proposes a secondary VOC control method—adding a tarp and “polishing”… Continue reading VIS.228-Central California Compost Crisis-AC26.USCC
POL.132-California Statewide Study on Small and Medium Composting …-AC26.USCC
In 2024, CalRecycle commissioned HDR to conduct a statewide study to support small and medium-sized composting operations in California. The study identified permitting and operational challenges, surveyed key regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders, analyzed costs, and developed Best Management Practices (BMPs). The goal is to provide practical guidance and tools to help streamline siting, permitting,… Continue reading POL.132-California Statewide Study on Small and Medium Composting …-AC26.USCC
USE.241-Nitrogen mineralization dynamics of California composts in…-AC26.CREF
This session evaluated how different California-produced composts perform when replacing 30% of mineral nitrogen in tomato production. Results showed that nitrogen availability varied by compost type, largely due to C/N ratios, and that substituting compost for inorganic fertilizer significantly reduced nitrous oxide emissions. The findings highlight compost’s potential to improve nitrogen use efficiency and lower… Continue reading USE.241-Nitrogen mineralization dynamics of California composts in…-AC26.CREF