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A three-year demonstration project in San Jose combines an aggressive outreach program with field applications of yard trimmings on local farms.
AS CALIFORNIA moves towards its landfill diversion goals, farmers in the state are being seen as a natural market for recycled organic mulch and compost products. To promote use of yard trimmings in commercial agriculture, the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) awarded the city of San Jose grant funds in 1994 to administer a demonstration project until March, 1997 called "Agriculture in Partnership with San Jose."
The project was two fold in design. The first component was a technical demonstration in which three types of yard trimmings products (uncomposted, semicomposted, and mature compost) were applied at varying application rates to local farm fields. A variety of crops were grown and the results were monitored to determine the agronomic and economic benefits of using yard trimmings products in commercial agriculture. The second component was an aggressive outreach program to increase growers' awareness of yard trimmings products and their uses. Key aspects consisted of a growers' newsletter, information bulletins and on-farm events to highlight the technical demonstrations.
A Project Team was assembled including San Jose's composting and market development staff, managers from the three yard trimmings processing/composting facilities, soil science/composting professionals, education/outreach professionals, and scientists from University of California Cooperative Extension. Yard trimmings processors provided products and delivery to the field trials. Additional assistance was provided by professionals with expertise in specialized areas.
Over the course of the project, nine growers hosted field trials demonstrating use of yard trimmings products. They worked with Team researchers to design trials appropriate to their operations. Growers dedicated a portion of their land for use in the field trials and took responsibility for material application and incorporation.
San Jose collects over 100,000 tons of source-separated yard trimmings per year. Located at the south end of San Francisco Bay, it is part of a highly urbanized area that is bordered on the east, south and north by commercial agriculture. San Jose expanded curbside yard trimmings collection citywide in 1991. Due to extensive education of generators and careful monitoring by collection crews, contamination of the yard trimmings with nonbiodegradable contaminants is minimal. By 1993, tonnage of collected yard trimmings exceeded...