Midwest Composting School

 

Registration information

Ron Alexander of R. Alexander Associates, Inc. is an independent consultant and a veteran compost salesman and sales/marketing manager with almost 25 years of experience in compost use and marketing. Ron is the author of "The Field Guide to Compost Use" and "The Practical Guide to Compost Marketing and Sales" and has been responsible for the sales and distribution of millions of tons of compost and other soil amendments. Ron will be responsible for providing a half-day specialized session on compost marketing strategies and techniques.

 

Kapil Arora is extension field engineer for Iowa State University Extension with expertise in composting, water quality, and environmental regulations. Kapil is currently involved in developing a composting operation at Iowa State University and successfully conducted Midwest Composting School in 2004. Kapil has worked with yard waste, industrial waste, and livestock facilities for logistics and management of composting operations. He will also educate participants on recipe development, data management, record keeping on composting in Iowa and emerging carbon markets.

 

Ginny Black is Organics Recycling Specialist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Ginny serves on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Composting Council and is the communications chair. In her job, Ginny provides technical assistance to compost facility operators and promotes market for finished compost. She provides education to citizens to help them make informed decisions and take actions that conserve resources and prevent pollution to benefit the environment, economy, and society. She is the primary contact for organics including woods waste, composting education and compliance, and technical assistance for organic management facilities. She will be responsible for educating participants on the condition of recycling in the Midwest and the available compost quality assurance programs.

 

Duane Friend is an extension educator in the field of natural resources management with University of Illinois. Duane provides educational leadership in natural resource programming for a 23 county area in west central Illinois on several topics including areas of soil quality, soil organic matter management, and composting. Duane conducts educational workshops with many groups and individuals in soil and water management, and has been with University of Illinois Extension service for over 15 years. Duane will teach participants at the Midwest Composting School about compost science and biology.

 

Dr. Tom Glanville is a professor in the Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University. He has 17 years of research experience in composting and compost utilization including studies on use of composted organics for storm water retention and erosion control on construction sites (sponsored by Iowa DOT and Iowa DNR), and on use of composting for bio-secure and environmentally sound emergency disposal of cattle and swine (sponsored by USDA-NRI, Iowa DNR, and the Canadian Research and Technology Initiative). His role will be to provide expertise on composting science and compost utilization. He will be a lead instructor in the development and delivery of Midwest Composting School 2008.

 

Professor Tom Halbach is an extension state specialist for Waste Management and Water Quality for the University of Minnesota. Tom's research and education interests include the beneficial utilization of waste materials in agriculture, forestry, horticulture, and mineland reclamation. Tom has conducted and successfully taught at the Midwest Composting School in 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, and 1995. Tom's expertise in waste management and water quality puts him in demand worldwide as he studies many types of wastes, from ash and cement to food and refuse. Tom will be a lead instructor in the Midwest Composting School and will teach participants on the various aspects of composting science.

 

Wayne Thompson is presently Extension Program Specialist with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Soil and Crop Sciences Department of Texas A&M University.  Wayne has about 15 years of experience in compost test method development and evaluation.  Wayne served as principal editor of the compost laboratory manual, "Test Methods for the Examination of Composting and Compost (TMECC)", for U.S. Composting Council and USDA-ARS.  Wayne conceptualized and co-developed the Compost Analytical Proficiency (CAP) testing program and for ten years served as technical advisor for the Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) program of the US Composting Council.  Wayne will educate participants on different compost test parameters, laboratory and field methods, and review end-use interpretation of laboratory test results. 

 

Dr. Paul Walker is a professor within the Department of Agriculture at Illinois State University. As coordinator for the Livestock and Urban Waste Research Team, Paul works on projects involving recycling of livestock and urban wastes as value-added co-products. Paul has conducted several workshops and field days in Illinois regarding on how to develop and refine compost management strategies for using variable wastes, and the transfer of composting technology to stakeholders. He will be one of the lead instructors and will teach participants of Midwest Composting School about designer compost concepts and science.

 

Facility Operations Management Panel The members of this panel will share expertise on facility design, managements, and operations, to allow participants to learn from managers involved in composting different feedstocks utilizing different composting methods. Panelists include Dave Marsh, Manager, Hyline Hatchery Compost Facility, Adel, IA; Scott Smith, Administrator and Recycling Coordinator, Boone County Landfill, Boone, IA;  Lanny Bower, Supervisor, Streets Department, City of Webster City, IA; and Jim Roth, Manager and Independent Compost Consultant.

 

Compost Marketing Panel The members of this panel will share expertise on compost marketing and sales, to allow participants to learn from managers involved in establishing and selling their facility composts in different markets. Panelists include Russ Leistiko, President of RW Farms LLC, Carver, MN; Dave Marsh, Manager, Hyline Hatchery Compost Facility, Adel, IA; and Scott Plett, Compost Facility Manager, City of Davenport, IA.