Massachusetts – Healthy Soils Program

In January 2021, Massachusetts passed an act “promoting healthy soils for reducing greenhouse gases and the effects of climate change.” This act spurred the development of a Healthy Soils Program to improve soil quality across a variety of land uses and also established the Healthy Soils Program Fund.… Read More

Oklahoma – Healthy Soils Program

In 2022, Oklahoma’s Healthy Soil Program Act took effect, supporting farming systems and other land management practices that “increase soil organic matter, aggregate stability, microbiology and water retention to improve the health, yield, and profitability of the soils of the state”.… Read More

California – San Diego Zoning for Community Composting

San Diego County updated its zoning code in 2022 to specifically support community composting activities. The new ordinance promotes community composting by removing large facilities as the sole option and making organics processing more accessible to local compost sites on farms, in backyards, and at community gardens.… Read More

Zoning for Community-Scale Composting

Zoning code that includes specific language for composting enables composting operations to get up and running more efficiently while also promoting composting that follows best management practices, produces high-quality compost and zoning that protects public and environmental health.… Read More

Maryland – On-Farm Composting Permit Exemptions

During Maryland’s 2023 legislative session, an update to the permit exemptions for on-farm composting facilities that process off-site food scraps and other materials named as “type 2 feedstock” was passed by both the House and Senate. This updated exemption more than doubles the area that may be used for on-farm composting: farms utilizing 10,000 sq.ft. or less for the active composting process are exempt from obtaining a composting facility permit.… Read More

San Mateo County, California – Waste Disposal Surcharges

The County of San Mateo uses a $9.89/ton AB 939 fee levied on all waste disposed of at landfills in the county to pay for programs associated with its integrated waste management plan. This fee funds various solid waste reduction and diversion programs and household hazardous waste programs for the county.… Read More

California – Organic Waste Mandates – Methane Reduction

California has implemented a statewide methane emissions reduction program focused on organic waste recycling and food recovery, signed into law by Governor Brown on September 19, 2016. The legislation (SB 1383 Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016) aims to reduce emissions from short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) through food recovery, diversion from landfills, and dairy and livestock manure management. The main targets of the law are statewide reduction of organic waste disposal (to landfills) by 75 percent and recovery of at least 20 percent of currently-disposed surplus food by 2025.… Read More

Hawai’i – Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force

In June 2018, Hawaii’s Governor Ige signed HB 2182 into law as “Act 15,” establishing a permanent Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force in the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development. Act 15 repealed Act 33 (2017), replacing the Carbon Farming Task Force with the new Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force (GHGSTF).… Read More

California – Healthy Soils Program

In 2017, the California Healthy Soils Program (HSP) was launched with the goal of sequestering carbon, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and improving soil health in the state. The program includes incentives to adopt soil health practices, on-farm soil health demonstration projects, and a block grant program.… Read More

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