In Martinez, California, an IASP animal waste composting pilot study was conducted at Gerlack Ranch in August 2006. Animal agriculture is faced today with discovering innovative ways to dispose of livestock mortality. This need has been brought on by the disappearance of rendering plants, concerns over burial and ground water pollution, and the economic cost and other issues related to incineration.

Composting is an acceptable and recommended means of recycling organic wastes and is gaining acceptance in the U.S. as a method for stabilizing/sanitizing animal wastes. Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO’s) including dairy, cattle, poultry and swine operations, generate more than 136 million metric tons (dry weight basis) of waste products per year and this could threaten the surface and below-ground water resources if not managed correctly. Composting is a totally natural decomposition process, which if performed under controlled conditions, will produce a quality product that can be used.