Purpose
Livestock producers and meat processors are facing ever evolving challenges when it comes to waste management. Increasing levels of regulation continue to challenge producers, including Washington State’s recently established Organics Management law which sets Methane reduction goals for landfills. This has led many landfills in the state to begin turning away organic material like offal and animal carcasses. Meanwhile climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of catastrophic animal mortality events, driving the urgent need for solutions to build resources and infrastructure to manage large animal losses.
The Awful Offal group serves as the primary inter-agency effort for addressing policy barriers and problem-solving acute and ongoing animal waste disposal scenarios. The group and its members also participate in state-wide catastrophic mortality preparedness planning. This presentation aims to engage participants with real-world examples of successes and challenges this group has faced through its inception.
What Did We Do?
The Awful Offal work group meets regularly to update members on specific cases or trends in their respective programs. Over years of collaboration, we have been able to identify gaps, provide training and create resources to address some of the largest challenges the state faces with animal carcass management. This has taken shape in the form of offal focused composting workshops, market studies, and countless hours providing resources and technical assistance to operators in need.
What Have We Learned?
We have learned much since this group’s inception, one thing that routinely comes up is that Washington’s diverse climate is going to require an equally diverse set of solutions for tackling this challenge. Composting is a viable and environmentally responsible option for many but also comes with its own unique needs and challenges. Many small meat processors have described the switch from sending material to landfill to composting onsite as “running a second business.” If you also consider many commercial composting operations do not accept this material, we must recognize that no single solution will solve this issue state-wide.
Future Plans
Through robust technical assistance and economic incentives, Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) plans to lead a State-wide effort to promote adoption of on and off-farm composting as a waste management strategy. WSDA also intends to conduct an in-depth economic and market analysis to identify the specific regional needs and barriers so to further determine how the State can best support additional infrastructure, fund pilot projects and develop resources.
Authors
Presenting author
AJ Mulder, Nutrient Management Specialist, Washington State Department of Agriculture, aj.mulder@agr.wa.gov
Acknowledgements
I would like to acknowledge all the members of the Awful Offal work group, including my colleagues at Washington State Department of Agriculture, Department of Ecology, Washington State University, Department of Health, Department of Fish and Wildlife, USDA and all our industry partners whose input and cooperation this work would be impossible without.
The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2025. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth. Boise, ID. April 7–11, 2025. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.