NE Iowa News

The City of Decorah was recently awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a community composting pilot project. The USDA is investing more than $9.4 million in 45 cooperative agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills. The Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) cooperative agreements, which are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, are part of USDA’s broad support for urban agriculture through its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). The projects will be implemented between 2023 and 2025.

“These Compost and Food Waste Reduction projects play important roles in building resilient, local food systems, including strong food recovery networks and food waste reduction solutions that benefit farmers and communities,” said Terry Cosby, Chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which houses OUAIP. “With an estimated 4% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions attributable to uneaten food, local strategies and tools like these are important climate solutions.”

USDA prioritized projects that anticipate or demonstrate economic benefits, incorporate plans to make compost easily accessible to farmers, including community gardeners, integrate other food waste strategies, including food recovery efforts and collaborate with multiple partners. Recipients include projects in 27 states and one territory.

The City of Decorah will be receiving $106,000 for the grant, with approximately $85,000 coming from the USDA and $21,000 as a local match from the City’s Sustainability Fund. The City’s pilot project will have multiple objectives, including increasing community home composting, working to incorporate food waste into the City’s compost process, and improving the City’s compost facility to develop a higher quality compost. Project partners include the Decorah Sustainability Commission, Winneshiek County Conservation, Luther College, Oneota Community Food Co-op, and the Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

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Original source can be found here.