Soil & Mulch Producer News Mar/Apr 2021 by Downing and Associates

Vol. XV No. 2

March / April 2021

Serving Soil, Mulch, Compost & Wood Pellet Producers www.SoilandMulchProducerNews.com

NEWS

Rust Belt Riders, Turning Food Waste Into Quality Soil Blends

he farm-to-table social movement – which promotes serving locally grown food at restaurants and other eateries – is being reverse engineered into a table-to-farm effort that offers benefits to businesses, government and especially the environment. Among the companies across America flipping the farm-to-table concept is Rust Belt Riders, headquartered in Cleveland., Ohio. It collects food scraps from businesses, restaurants and homes and apartments, composts the material and then turns it into a fertile organic soil that can be used to grow food. “The idea that we should know where our food is coming from has been gaining prominence,” says Daniel Brown, co-founder of Rust Belt Riders. “And we were asking why people weren’t concerned with where their food would end up going.” So Rust Belt Riders decided to see if people would be willing to pay a small fee “to have the peace of mind and comfort of knowing their food scraps could be diverted from going to landfills and instead it goes back to some of the farms that are growing the food they would then be consuming. “We set about to devise a service that would work with businesses and individuals to provide them with an alternative to the over 40 percent of food that ends up going to landfills,” he explained. Rust Belt Riders, started in 2014, today serves some 200 businesses as well as about 1,800 households utilizing its food scrap residential pickup service or publicly accessible drop-off locations, primarily in Cuyahoga County. An estimated 60 percent to 70 percent of the food waste c o l l e c t e d c o m e s f ro m businesses, which include restaurants, nursing homes,

By P.J. Heller health care facilities, universities and grocery stores. The company diverted some 2.4 million pounds of food scraps from landfills in 2020 and is on target to double that amount this year, Brown predicts. Part of that increase is expected to come from bringing on a regional grocery store chain, as well as restaurants reopening as coronavirus pandemic lockdowns and stay-athome orders are eased or lifted. “The pandemic for us was sort of a call to arms for us to figure out how to make our residential service more broadly available,” Brown says. “A lot of people hadn’t made a homecooked meal in years prior to the pandemic. Now that their favorite restaurants are closed or have limited hours, people are cooking at home for the first time in a while. “When you’re doing that, it’s really difficult to ignore the amount of food waste that occurs through the preparing of meals. When you eat at a restaurant, you don’t have to interact with the food scraps because somebody else cooked for you. When you go to the corporate cafeteria and

get your lunch, you don’t have to think about food waste because you eat all the food that’s on your tray, but that might not be the case for what went into making the meal.” The food scrap pickup service started about nine months ago and has some 400 households signed up. The older drop off service, which covers a larger area, is used by about 1,400 households. “We’re just grateful we’re part of a community that values and sees the benefits of a service like this,” Brown says. The company in 2019 was named the small-scale composter of the year by the US Composting Council. Food scraps collected by Rust Belt Riders are transported to the company’s EPA licensed compost facility in nearby Independence, just south of Cleveland. The 1.5-acre compost facility follows the National Organic Program guidelines from the U.S. Agriculture Department, Brown notes. On average, it takes from three to four months from the time food scraps come into the compost facility until it ships out as bagged Tilth Soil organic products ready for the garden. “We knew early on given the size of our facility that doing mass production of cubic yards of compost wasn’t the game we were trying Continued on page 3

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Rust Belt Riders, Turning Food Waste Into Quality Soil Blends Continued from page 1

to play or the type of players we were trying to compete with.” Brown says. Instead, he says, Rust Belt Riders opted to focus on becoming a soil-making company, utilizing compost as the key ingredient in all its blends. The company has 15 employees. Other companies across the United States also collect food scraps and then sell either compost or compost-soil blends. Among them are Dirt Hugger in Dallesport, WA, and Table to Farm in Durango, CO. Unlike Dirt Hugger or Table to Farm, Rust Belt Riders does not sell compost, only its Tilth soil blends. ‘It’s one thing to provide a service to people, where you can assure that they are able to divert their food scraps from going to landfills, but in order to make the economics work, in order to serve a broader swath of the population, we realized it was going to be massively important to be creating a really high-quality product from those food scraps,” Brown explains. The result was the Tilth soils, which are sold in bags and in bulk. They have been shipped as far as Washington State. In addition to being able to purchase its soils via the website, the company is working to establish garden center and retail partnerships. Soil blends currently available are House, designed for indoor houseplants that need well-draining soil; Grow, a general-purpose soil; Bloom, for indoor cultivation “for the most demanding of plants”; and Sprout, a high-quality seed starting mix that the University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm listed as among the top three performing compostbased organic potting mixes available nationally. All four blends include living compost, Canadian peat moss, gypsum, perlite and blood meal. Sprout, Bloom and House also include coconut or wood fiber and kelp meal, while Bloom, Grow and House each contain bone char. Rock dust is an ingredient in Sprout, Grow and Bloom. Other ingredients in House include sharp sand, glacial rock dust, and paramagnetic basalt. Brown says composting and soil production

allow the company to have the table-to-farm movement reach the farm-to-table movement. “And therein lies the beautiful circular economy,” he says. Beside preventing methane emissions from landfills, Brown says producing organic soil can be used to grow more food and diminishes the dependence on artificial chemicals and fertilizers. Another goal is to reconnect people in a meaningful way to where their food is grown, how it is grown and all that goes into it, which he says should reduce food waste. Brown says that in Cuyahoga County, there are no city or county mandates for composting, nor are there any tax incentives. “I think increasingly communities and municipalities have moved to public/private partnerships,” he says. “The more that can be done to incentivize the diversion of food from going to landfills is to the benefit of the planet.” The company works with governmental agencies and non-profit groups to create awareness of the services it offers. It also does community outreach, speaking with student groups, gardening groups and community-based environmental organizations, among others. It also offers monthly online classes. “We’re really trying to create a holistic community of people who can see and understand just how significant food and our relationship to it is, not only on community building but the environment and public health,” Brown says. Looking to the future, he says a larger production facility may be needed as product availability increases. “We’ve got our plate full with the amount of food scraps we’re currently picking up and we’re barely making a drop in the ocean when it comes to the amount of food waste that’s out there,” Brown says. “If we can capture more food waste and process more food waste, we feel like we’re swimming in the right direction.” Photos courtesy of Daniel Brown, Rust Belt Riders.

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PUBLICATION STAFF Publisher / Editor Rick Downing Contributing Editors / Writers P.J. Heller • Robert LaGasse Sandy Woodthorpe Production & Layout Christine Mantush Advertising Sales Rick Downing Subscription / Circulation Donna Downing Editorial, Circulation & Advertising Office 6075 Hopkins Road, Mentor, OH 44060 Ph: 440-257-6453 • Fax: 440-257-6459 Email: downassoc2@oh.rr.com Subscription information, call 440-257-6453. Soil & Mulch Producer News is published bimonthly by Downing & Associates. Reproductions or transmission in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher, is prohibited. Annual subscription rate U.S. is $19.95. Outside of the U.S. add $10.00 ($29.95). Contact our main office, or mail-in the subscription form with payment. ©

March /April 2021 Soil & Mulch Producer News

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News From The Mulch & Soil Council By Robert LaGasse, Executive Director

MSC Officers Re-Elected

fficers of the Mulch & Soil Council Board of Directors are chosen annually from among the 12 elected directors of the Board. The election is held at the first regular meeting following the annual meeting. In support of the leadership provided to the Board for the past year, the Board of Directors has unanimously re-elected the incumbent officers to serve a second, 1-year term for 2021 as follows: Jim Weber, President, Ohio Mulch, Columbus, OH Byron Morgan, V.P., Mountain West, Rexberg, ID Joe Ertel, Sec./Treas., Oldcastle Lawn & Garden Sauget, IL

APHIS New EAB Approach

he U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is changing its approach to fight the emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation that has spread through much of the United States. The Agency is publishing a final rule that removes the federal domestic EAB quarantine regulations that have proved ineffective and will redirect resources to more promising methods. Removing the quarantine regulations ends APHIS’ domestic regulatory activities, which includes actions such as issuing permits, certificates and compliance agreements, making site visits, and conducting investigations of suspected violations. The final rule and the response to the comments received were published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2020, and the rule

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became effective on January 14, 2021. Documents may be viewed online at https://www.regulations.gov/ docket?D=APHIS-2017-0056 upon publication. APHIS is working with the National Plant Board on effective strategies to manage firewood movement, which is one of the ways the emerald ash borer spreads. APHIS’ goal is still to maintain ash in the North American landscape. We look forward to continued collaboration with our partners on this effort. Questions about the regulatory change for emerald ash borer can be directed to National Policy Manager Herb Bolton at 301-851-3594 or Herbert.Bolton@usda.gov

EPA: New Fungicide

he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to register the new active ingredient picarbutrazox, which represents a new tool for managing resistant fungi. Uses of picarbutrazox include seed treatment of corn and soybean to control Pythium and Phytophthora and turf treatment to control Pythium diseases. These fungi can cause foliar blight, damping-off, and root dysfunction, which in turn can cause significant yield losses. Picarbutrazox provides yield benefits comparable to registered alternatives. EPA reviewed picarbutrazox and determined there are no human health risk concerns. To prevent misuse, the label recommends that Continued on page 6

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News From The Mulch & Soil Council Continued from page 4 professional applicators make residential turf applications. The proposed product label contains language to address potential ecological risks, including advisory language to prevent off-site movement to non-target areas due to runoff, and resistance management strategies to reduce the potential for fungicide resistance. EPA is accepting public comments on this proposal via docket number EPAHQOPP-2017-0653 at www.regulations.gov for 15 days.

FMCSA Adds Underride to Safety Checklist

n underride rear guard installed on a Stoughton trailer. FMCSA said including

rear impact guards in the periodic inspection requirements will call additional attention to the critical safety component. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a proposed rule amending federal safety regulations to specifically add rear impact guards as a required item on the list of annual inspections for motor carriers and roadside inspectors. If finalized, the proposal, announced Dec. 29 in a Federal Register post, will mean that a check of truck rear underride guards will become a part of the CMV inspector process. Currently, motor carriers are required to maintain and annually inspect their underride guards, but some inspectors do not cite a trucker when they observe a damaged or loose rear

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guard. If the new regulation becomes final, inspectors will be required to take a closer look at underride guards. Since 1952, most trucks and trailers have been required by regulation to install rear underride guards designed to withstand the force of a crash and prevent a car from sliding under a truck. FMCSA said that the new requirement would not significantly affect most motor carriers. From 2008-17, there was an average of 219 fatalities in truck-involved underride crashes annually, about 5.4% of the total truck-involved crash fatalities each year. FMCSA said that including rear impact guards and rear end protection in the periodic inspection requirements will call additional attention to the critical safety component and help ensure that each vehicle is checked at least once a year, improving compliance and helping to prevent fatalities and injuries when rear-end collisions occur.

2021 IRS Standard Mileage Rates

he Internal Revenue Service has issued the 2021 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2021, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: • 56 cents per mile driven for business use, down 1.5 cents from the rate for 2020, •

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16 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the Armed Forces, down 1 cent from the rate for 2020, and

14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations, the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2020. The standard mileage rate for business use is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs. It is important to note that under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, taxpayers cannot claim a miscellaneous itemized deduction for unreimbursed employee travel expenses. Taxpayers also cannot claim a deduction for moving expenses, unless they are members of the Armed Forces on active duty moving under orders to a permanent change of station. For more details see Moving Expenses for Members of the Armed Forces. Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates. Taxpayers can use the standard mileage rate but must opt to use it in the first year the car is available for business use. Then, in later years, they can choose either the standard mileage Continued on page 10

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Hurricanes Leave Louisiana Forestry Industry with Loss, Fire Hazards

LEXANDRIA, La — Louisiana forestry industry has lost $1.5 billion as a result of two hurricanes that ripped through the state last year, and that’s the tip of the iceberg, reports KTBS.com. Plummeting revenue, infrastructure damage, and lost production, not to mention the looming costs of potential wildfires from downed trees, add up to much more, one speaker told a crowd at the 2021 Virtual Forestry Forum. The state took a hard hit from Hurricane Laura in August of last year, and then it was pounded by Hurricane Delta. A Louisiana State University AgCenter forestry expert noted the cumulative losses were double the amount of revenue the industry generates annually. One forestry specialist said that some 800,000 acres of timber in 22 parishes scrubbed by the storms lost about 3 million board feet of timber that could have supplied 25 sawmills for a year. Most fallen timber is rejected by mills. A logging company owner said that saw timber is good for only about four to six weeks, and downed trees that could be used for lumber are salvageable for three to four months. The closing of a mill at DeQuincy left a big void for selling timber in southwest Louisiana, while mills further north had all the inventory they needed after the storm, one speaker explained. Converting the trees to wood chips to be used as fuel for power generation would have been possible, he said, but the low natural gas prices make that unfeasible.

Delaware Residents Question Plans for Massive Poultry Waste Composting Facility

ussex County, DE — Residents and environmental groups are questioning a proposed large-scale poultry sludge-to-biogas recycling facility on the Delmarva Peninsula that backers say could strengthen the area’s wastewater treatment and renewable energy capacities, reports Cape Gazette. Last summer, global anaerobic digester developer, Bioenergy Devco, entered into an agreement with Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (CPK) to provide renewable natural gas converted from poultry waste. Bioenergy previously bought an existing poultry waste recycling plant from Perdue Farms. Bioenergy plans to invest $40-$45 million into the plant, according to a spokesperson. Improvements on the 228-acre parcel include a 165,000-gallon equalization tank for dissolved air flotation (DAF) slurry; four 1.3-million-gallon anaerobic digester tanks for DAF sludge and water; and two 1.3-million-gallon fermentation tanks. Plans also include a new wastewater pretreatment facility and an enlarged stormwater retention pond. At a public hearing before the County Zoning Commission in February, residents and environmental advocates took issue with increased truck traffic, odors, and other environmental impacts. They also voiced their confusion about the exact type of waste to be transported into the community from other areas. Granting Bioenergy a 20-year permit, one opponent said, will further entrench factory farming in the area. In 2020, Delmarva poultry farmers raised 570 million birds, and the area’s processing plants handled 4.2 billion pounds of poultry at a value of $3.4 billion. According to a Bioenergy representative, the primary waste product used at the facility would be DAF, which is the liquified end product of wastewater treatment (10 percent solids and 90 percent water). The DAF is then converted into natural gas and compost using an anaerobic digester process. Chesapeake Utilities then will take the biogas off site, clean it to renewable natural gas and inject it into the company’s natural gas pipeline. Under conditional use permits, Bioenergy can take in up to 220,000 tons of DAF per year to be recycled at the plant. The current composting operation at the former Perdue-owned facility processes DAF, DAF sludge and hatchery waste, not poultry house litter or manure, a Bioenergy representative clarified. To move forward with the project Bioenergy must obtain all regulatory permits required by state agencies to address environmental and traffic issues. Another public hearing was scheduled for mid-March. Sussex County Council approved a similar application for a poultry waste recycling plant (in August 2018). CleanBay Renewables plans to build a $60-million plant to recycle up to 90,000 tons of litter annually from poultry houses at a plant located near Georgetown. The plant will convert the waste to electricity and fertilizer.

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MSC News Continued from page 6

rate or actual expenses. Leased vehicles must use the standard mileage rate method for the entire lease period (including renewals) if the standard mileage rate is chosen. Notice 2021-02 contains the optional 2021 standard mileage rates, as well as the maximum automobile cost used to calculate the allowance under a fixed and variable rate (FAVR) plan. In addition, the notice provides the maximum fair market value of employer-provided automobiles first made available to employees for personal use in calendar year 2021 for which employers may use the fleet-average valuation rule in or the vehicle cents-per-mile valuation rule.

About MSC

he Mulch & Soil Council began in 1972 and is the national association of producers of horticultural mulches, consumer potting soils and commercial growing media. Its mission is to define quality products and promote an open market and fair competition. The Council’s Product Certification for bagged mulch and soil and its Elite Bulk Member programs are designed to inform buyers of manufacturers that support and comply with industry product standards and are willing to submit to testing and verification in the best interests of the industry and its customers. To learn more about the Mulch & Soil Council, visit mulchandsoilcouncil.org. To become a member, call 806-832-1810.

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Collaboration Ends Ban on 21-Inch Rule in Oregon

lue Mountain, Or — Science has prevailed as environmentalists and timber industry leaders agreed to end Oregon’s ban on logging trees larger than 21 inches in diameter on public lands, reports Blue Mountain Eagle. The 21-inch rule was part of the Eastside Screens, a set of standards implemented in 1995 to protect wildlife habitat and water quality on nearly 10 million acres of public land in Eastern Oregon. The rule was conceived to limit old-growth trees temporarily. The policy ended up being in place for so long that scientists, environmentalists, and loggers have had time to better understand things. At the same time, the rule put conservation litigants on more equal legal footing with loggers to challenge proposed timber projects. In the nearly 30 years since then, much has been learned. Research aided by cutting-edge technologies has resulted in better understanding of old growth forests as scientists from the University of Washington and Oregon State University worked with the Forest Service’s research branch to conduct applied research. The ban on cutting large trees, coupled with fire suppression tactics in areas that are “fire ecosystems,” and climate change have created places like the Malheur National Forest that are more prone to wildfire. One fire ecologist from Oregon State University said his recent research gauges to what degree the forest can be restored to its historical structure and composition under various diameter caps, including the 21-inch rule. Historically, all forest types on the Malheur National Forest burned every 10 to 15 years. His data shows the forest has dramatically changed and that there are more younger trees larger than 21 inches in forests now than there were 100 to 150 years ago. Grand fir can grow larger than 21 inches sooner than other species. Keeping old growth trees is like insurance – they last longer and are more tolerant to fire. The problem is that in unmanaged, roadless areas of the Malheur, 28% of old growth trees are dying. While large, old ponderosa pine stores carbon for an exceedingly long time, young grand fir trees store carbon for a shorter time because they rot and release carbon, and they die. They are not long-lived trees compared to ponderosa pine or western larch, according to another scientist, who added that multiple studies show that the way to achieve more carbon storage is through “judicious use of thinning and fire.”

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San Diego Implements Citywide No-Fee Organic Waste Collection

an Diego, CA — The city of San Diego is adding yard waste and food waste pickup to its weekly trash removal services as part of a statewide program to divert organics from landfills, reports San Diego Union Tribune. Nearly 300,000 single-family homes on public streets will be served under the city’s program. The new California law also requires organic waste recycling by owners of businesses, apartment complexes and condominiums, who will have to pay extra for services to be provided by private haulers. For multi-family housing and gated communities, certain exemptions for waste volume will be in effect until next January. San Diego spends $34 million a year on trash service. Officials say it will have to spend millions more under the state law. City Council has taken preliminary steps toward meeting the goals of the state law by ordering green carts for about 89,000 customers. Currently, 290,000 single-family home customers have recycling carts. The city also must meet a new requirement for collection frequency as well. The state law mandates green recycling once a week, which means San Diego must double its existing recycling service, which has been once every two weeks. For the near term, most the yard waste and food waste will be composted, a city representative said. Later, San Diego may send some of its organic material to anaerobic digestion facilities in the region.

Seed and Peat Moss Shortages Loom in Canada

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anadian gardeners can expect to pay more for their potted plants and find less peat moss in their growing medium, reports The Observer. Much of the available supply is already committed to high-demand markets in the U.S. Last year’s rainy fall has reduced peat moss harvests in Canada, contributing to shortages just when seasonal demand in the provinces is mounting. Adding to the complicated picture are rising harvesting and shipping costs. No comparable alternatives for peat moss exist. The perfect soil for greenhouse production, horticulturists favor its ability to retain moisture, yet not become waterlogged and its sterility can easily accommodate the addition of perlite, fertilizer, and micronutrients. Researchers have been busy looking for alternatives to peat moss, however. They have come up empty handed. Recycled newspaper, corn husks, grape seeds, rice hulls, compost and coconut fiber have all been considered with varying and limited degrees of success. Seeds are also going to be in short supply this spring. Major seed suppliers are saying that shipping their product will be delayed. Gardeners should buy their peat moss and seeds early. Peas, beans, peas, tomatoes, squash and spinach were the first to disappear from seed display racks last year as people tired of being cooped up because of the COVID-19 pandemic sought relief in gardening.

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Farmers Seek Options for Wood Disposal, California Farm Bureau Federation Reports kmd@powerbrushes.com www.powerbrushes.com www.duffbrush.com

ACRAMENTO, CA — San Joaquin Valley ranchers must consider alternatives for disposing of vineyard and orchard prunings now that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved accelerated “phase-down” of agricultural burning by Jan. 1, 2025, according to a statement released by that agency. The California rule is aimed at eliminating the burning, which releases fine particulate matter (PM2.5) into the air, causing or contributing to a number of adverse health effects including asthma. The latest policy action builds on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s (District) recently approved 2020 Staff Report and Recommendations on Agricultural Burning (2020 Report) on phasing-down agricultural burning. Agricultural burning has been limited progressively since 2003 under SB 705. Eight years ago, the District reduced agricultural burning in the San Joaquin Valley by 80 percent. The new timeline was set to stem the increase in activity in order to meet federal clean air standards by 2025. With the closure of biomass plants and recent drought, farmers clearing brush and grape vines must find other alternatives to “ag burn,” which has been carried out since the 1850s. Burning has been one of the most cost-effective ways of disposing of these materials, the ranchers believe. Orchard and vineyard removals together account for almost 90 percent of total tons burned in the Valley in 2020. About 600,000 tons of agricultural waste were burned in the valley in 2020, according to CARB figures. Chipping and recycling the vines is not the best alternative to burning, grape growers note. The vines’ support wires have enmeshed themselves into the wood over time. Moreover, shredders constantly moving from small parcel to small parcel across several miles in order to accommodate small farmers, would be adding additional carbon to the atmosphere for equipment transportation, as well as putting more strain on rural roads that are already in a state of disrepair, a California Farm Bureau spokesperson said. The progressive limits affect eight counties under the jurisdiction of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District: San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern. An estimated $15 million and $30 million in incentive funding from local, state and federal sources will be needed to support the phase-down. The San Joaquin Valley air district has an incentive program in place to help farmers seeking alternatives. Information is available at valleyair.org/grants/ alt-ag-burning.htm.

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EXPIRES

07/01/2020

TARGET/UOM

RANGE

RESULT

500 CPS

200 - 800

200

10.00

9.50 -10.50

10.00

100.00 PERCENTAGE

95.00 - 105.00

102.25

10.00

9.50 -10.50

10.00

DIRT

Y/N

OHIO | TENNESSEE | TEXAS

615-443-0345 Ext 103 info@agricoatings.com www.agricoatings.com

OHIO | TENNESSEE | TEXAS

615-443-0345 Ext 103 info@agricoatings.com www.agricoatings.com

Our Vision Colors Yours! March /April 2021 Soil & Mulch Producer News

Soil

Mulch Producer NEWS

Proposed Oregon Timber Tax Faces Ziegenbein Tapped for USCC Board of Strong Opposition from Counties ALEM, OR — According to a Capital Press article, Oregon’s county governments are Directors opposing a proposed timber severance tax due to its potential economic impacts even

though they would stand to get money under the proposal. Proponents of HB 2379, which resurrects a 1990s severance tax on value of harvested timber, say the revenue is needed to pay for fire-fighting costs and local government services. Legislative analysts have not yet calculated all the financial impacts of the bill, but it’s expected to steeply increase revenues and taxes on logs. The 5% tax would replace the existing forest products privilege tax of about $4 per thousand board feet. Based on current log values, the new severance tax would amount to $25 per thousand board-feet of timber, more than a six‑fold increase, a lobbyist for the Oregon Small Woodlands Association explained. The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) has come out against HB 2379, despite the potential for counties to receive 25% of the new tax revenues that could be used for wildfire and emergency preparedness. Though county governments require tax dollars to provide crucial services, AOC maintains, the need for revenues must be balanced against the economic prosperity of their communities. Oregon’s communities are already dealing with a downturn in tourism and hospitality due to the coronavirus pandemic. Add the effects of wildfires and ice storms, Oregon’s corporate activity tax, and stricter environmental and wildlife protections and it’s hard to see why local governments would turn their backs on the flow of funding. Yet they side with the bill’s opponents who say the measure would drive up logging expenses further, compounding the development pressure on woodland owners to convert their property to agricultural uses or residential development. The bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, says 77% of the acreage protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry is privately owned and it supports just 22% of the state’s firefighting costs. The lawmaker says that county governments are opposed to the proposal due to their fears of “crossing” the timber industry, on which they’re economically dependent.

ALEIGH, NC — The US Composting Council recently announced that Jeff Ziegenbein is returning to the USCC board of directors. Due to the recent acquisition of New Earth, Inc. by WeCare Denali, LLC, Russell Faldik has resigned his seat on the Board in accordance with USCC bylaws Section 9. The USCC thanked Russell for his time, service and leadership. As a result of the vacated board seat, the Board of Directors (per the bylaws) has appointed Jeff Ziegenbein, Inland Empire Regional Composting Authority, to serve out the remaining term. With over two decades in the composting industry Jeff has been involved with the USCC through the Market Development Committee, Mentorship Programs, the annual conference, and has previously served multiple terms on the Board. Jeff brings valuable knowledge and insight about the industry and the Council. Joe DiNorscia has agreed to serve the balance of the year on the Executive Committee as the Treasurer filling the Faldik’s seat. Joe served two other annual terms in the same role.

Subscribe to Soil & Mulch Producer News Order on-line at www.soilandmulchproducernews.com

www.amadas.com 14 Soil & Mulch Producer News March /April 2021

THE BEAST® 2460XP 24” Capacity Horizontal Grinder

LET’S JOIN FORCES! Since 1983, Bandit has been providing equipment for a multitude of wood waste processing markets. Our vision since the beginning is to manufacture quality, highly productive, easy to maintain equipment providing years of dependable service. The commitment for quality, innovation and dedication is instilled in every Bandit employee and is one of the main reasons why Bandit became an Employee-Owned Company (ESOP) in 2018. These core values ensure each Bandit machine will leave the factory ready to exceed your expectations. With the most diverse product line in the industry backed by our extensive parts, sales and service team supporting our highly trained global dealer network consisting of over 235 locations, we are a force to be reckoned with! For those who have joined, we thank you. If you are wondering what this could mean for your business we have one question:

Are you ready to join forces?

EMPLOYEE-OWNED To locate an authorized Bandit Dealer in your area please visit www.banditchippers.com or call Bandit at 800-952-0178. March /April 2021 Soil & Mulch Producer News

Soil

Mulch Producer NEWS

Oldcastle Mulch Production Facility on Schedule for Fall Opening

ome, GA — Oldcastle Lawn & Garden plans to have its new Floyd County mulch production facility up and running this fall, according to Northwest Georgian News. The lawn and garden business, which operates about 42 manufacturing sites east of the Rockies, distributes its mulch under a variety of store brands and private labels such as Vigoro, Sta-Green and many others. Another key market consists of commercial growers that produce live goods sold at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart garden centers. With 11 manufacturing sites in the Southeast, Oldcastle APG already operates one plant in the Atlanta area. The Rome location is being designed to have the capacity to produce over 8 million bags of soil or mulch annually. The company acquired 39.5 acres in the county and also has another smaller parcel under contract, both with easy access to highways. With equipment on order, the company plans Late September to early October starting with day-only shift of approximately 10 hours. Between 12 and 15 in-bound trucks are estimated daily, Monday through Friday. Oldcastle Lawn & Garden does not operate its own fleet of tractor-trailers, so that will present an opportunity for local haulers both in terms of inbound material and outbound product. The majority of the outbound loads will be open flatbed trailers. Some of the distributors, such as Walmart, come in with their own box trucks to pick up product that is carried to their distribution centers. The plant will start with about 30 to 35 employees. Once it reaches full capacity, it will employ about 50 workers on two shifts.

Composter to Build Enclosed Facility to Serve Eastern Massachusetts

ANCHESTER, MA — Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Earth Compost hopes to break ground this summer for a new compost site and begin operations by next fall, reports Salem News. Located at the Manchester Transfer station, the facility will accept material from the Manchester, Cape Ann, and Salem areas. City officials voted in favor of the compost site – and to spending $300,000 for construction. Initially $75,000 was used to engineer a plot behind the transfer station. Black Earth chipped in another $300,000 once it was officially contracted to the project. Then the pandemic hit. The design, now being finalized, is for a small, advanced facility with an enclosed area for composting. The town had earmarked a $400,000 grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection for the specific purpose of building a compost site. Compared to the $90 landfill tipping fee, composting is a cost-effective solution for Manchester, a Black Earth spokesperson said. According to the company’s website, Black Earth Compost was founded in January 2011, in Gloucester. Originally a one man, one truck, Cape Ann company, the outfit has steadily grown to become the leading full-service compost company in New England. Operating 20 trucks, the company collects food scraps from residents, schools, supermarkets, colleges, and more, across eastern Massachusetts and turns the material into compost that is sold in garden centers across Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

HOGZILLA

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March /April 2021 Soil & Mulch Producer News

Soil

Mulch Producer NEWS

ADVERTISER NEWS Webster Industries Acquires Action Equipment Company

ebster Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of conveyor chain, sprockets, vibrating conveyors and specialty castings, recently announced the acquisition of Action Equipment Company (ACTION), a manufacturer of vibratory conveying and process equipment. “We are excited to join the Webster and ACTION employee-owned teams as we are powerfully aligned in purpose, mission and culture,” says Andrew J Felter, President & CEO of Webster. “It is an exciting merger, one in which both companies strategically complement one another. ACTION’s team is passionate about its core competence and strengths, vibratory technology and look forward to continued marketplace growth alongside Webster,” said Andrew LaVeine, President of ACTION.

Industry News WANTED:

Ecoverse, Modern Tech Equipment Host Demo Day at St. Louis Composting

coverse, together with local equipment dealer Modern Tech Equipment, recently hosted more than 60 customers on site at St. Louis Composting and Total Organics for a day of machine displays and demonstrations. Staged for inspection and demonstration on the St. Louis Composting site were the Doppstadt Inventhor Type 6 and Type 9 high-torque shredders, a Doppstadt AK 640 high-speed grinder, Doppstadt SM 720K and 726 trommel screens, a Backers 3-tal star screen, the EcoSift Ventus 4 decontamination system and Aeras air sifter, the Ecostack conveyor and the BACKHUS A60 compost turner. Attendees were given a detailed walkthrough of each machine to emphasize specific features and benefits unique to each before they were fired up for a performance demonstration. Various stocks of logs, green waste, wood waste and compost were processed to show functionality and provide a real-world operational scenario.

If you have an important announcement about your company that you would like us to consider for publication, please email it to: rickdowning@oh.rr.com, or just call me at (440) 257-6453.

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March /April 2021 Soil & Mulch Producer News

6075 Hopkins Road • Mentor, OH 44060 Ph: 440-257-6453 • Fax: 440-257-6459 Email: downassoc2@oh.rr.com www.SoilandMulchProducerNews.com

VOL. XV NO. 2

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MAR /APR 2021

Inside This Issue Rust Belt Riders, Turning Food Waste Into Quality Soil Blends PAGE 1 News From The Mulch & Soil Council PAGE 4 Hurricanes Leave Louisiana Forestry Industry with Loss, Fire Hazards PAGE 8 Seed and Peat Moss Shortages Loom in Canada PAGE 11 Farmers Seek Options for Wood Disposal, California Farm Bureau Federation Reports PAGE 12 Proposed Oregon Timber Tax Faces Strong Opposition from Counties PAGE 14

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