Protecting Water Quality and Promoting Economic Efficiency at Agricultural Composting Facilities

Protecting Water Quality and Promoting Economic Efficiency at Agricultural Composting Facilities

Summary

This project seeks to assist farmers in meeting state composting regulations as implemented by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

Currently, we have held one Farmer Focus Session. We are reviewing existing literature on composting Best Management Practices (BMPs) and have strengthened relationships between project managers, regulators, agricultural composters and composting consultants.

We have also developed a project website at: http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/compost-and-water-quality. The website will be further developed during the project, and the BMPs will be published via the OSU Extension Publications catalog and through the OSU Small Farms website.

Objectives/Performance Targets

The objectives from the proposal have been slightly refined. Our main activities now include:

1) Conduct a participatory process to build trust and increase knowledge sharing among farmers, compost facility regulators, compost industry consultants and extension faculty;

2) Collect collaborative on-farm survey data to inform development of BMPs, which will be written in collaboration with farmers, regulators and composting consultants;

3) Publish agricultural composting BMPs for Oregon. These BMPs will also be written with input from experts in Washington State.

Participatory Process:

We have convened one facilitated Farmer Focus Session and will convene at least one more Farmer Focus Session and one tour of agricultural composting facilities. We will tour agricultural composting facilities in Oregon and Washington and review methods used to protect the environment at these facilities. The Farmer Focus Sessions allow participants to explain their concerns and collaboratively explore solutions in an open and productive atmosphere. Farmers are identifying compost management methods that they feel are cost effective and protect the environment. Technical advisors (OSU Extension and regulators) are discussing these methods with farmers and helping to identify the most promising methods that are compliant with the new Rules. The advisors are also determining the methods used to evaluate environmental performance of the management techniques identified by participating farmers.

On-farm Survey Data:

In addition to the farmers who participated in the proposal, several new farmers that attended the first Farmer Focus Session are interested in participating in this project and the anonymous on-farm survey of composting methods and BMP compliance. Unexpectedly, the project is helping agricultural composters feel more comfortable with the goals and processes of the regulatory process. We hope that this will continue so that the new regulations are not perceived as an obstacle to agricultural composting. Due to state budget cuts, DEQ is unable to contribute funds to measurement of the performance of on-farm BMPs. We are refining the focus of this project slightly to emphasize the survey of existing agricultural composting practices. The survey will be used to inform regulators, agricultural composters, regulators and extension agents during development of the BMPs.

Publish agricultural composting BMPs:

Project partners are exceeding expectations in their willingness to contribute to drafting, editing and publication of the BMP manual.

Outreach:

Findings from the Farmer Focus Sessions and compost trials will be used to develop Best Management Practices (BMPs). These will be drafted by OSU faculty, DEQ staff and composting consultants and reviewed by participating farmers. BMPs will be published through OSU Extension and will inform DEQ’s internal guidelines for regulating agricultural composting facilities.

Accomplishments/Milestones

1) We held the first Farmer Focus Session on February 25, 2011. Speakers included: Nick Andrews (OSU Extension), Bob Barrows (Oregon Department of Environmental Quality), Wym Matthews (Oregon Department of Agriculture), Jeff Gage (Compost Design Services), Lynn Larsen (Benton County NRCS) and Wali Via (Winter Green Farm).

2) We have identified several growers in addition to initial project participants who are interested in participating in the project survey.

3) Regulatory agencies, farmers, compost consultants and extension agents are working together to identify authors and editors of the Agricultural Composting BMPs.

4) A project website has been developed and will be enhanced during the project.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Expected outcome include:

1) Increased farmer understanding of water quality risks associated with composting and practical methods for mitigating these risks;

2) Improved regulatory understanding of the limitations and opportunities for managing environmental risk on agricultural composting facilities;

3) Improved research-based understanding of leachate and runoff movement through and from compost piles.

Collaborators: