Apex, NC | ron@alexassoc.net

Mr. Alexander is the President of R. Alexander Associates, Inc., a company specializing in product and market development for organic recycled products. He is a horticulturalist with over 38 years of experience working with compost. In the 1980’s (and early 90’s), Mr. Alexander ran one of the first compost brokerage companies in the US, and since then, has completed over 500 related projects. He has also authored the ‘The Practical Guide to Compost Marketing and Sales’, and a number of state and national product specifications. Mr. Alexander also managed the national compost testing program (the US Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance Program) and is an Industry Liaison to AAPFCO.

Session Code: E1

Track: Markets, Marketing and Uses

Session Name: Miniworkshop: Product Registration, Certification and Labeling Basics

Session Time: Wednesday, Jan 25, 8:15 – 9:45 AM

Presentation Title: Product Registration and Labeling for Dummies, and ‘Organic Certification’

Presentation Description: In most states, compost products have to be registered as soil amendments or fertilizers, and with registration, allowable (legal) product labels must be developed. The paper will outline the basic steps in product registration and labeling, as well as negative trappings to avoid. Examples will be reviewed, and steps required to List compost for organic agricultural usage through OMRI and the CDFA will be also reviewed.

Session Code: E4

Track: Markets, Marketing and Uses

Session Name: Matching Compost to Specs

Session Time: Thursday, Jan 26, 8:30 – 10:00 AM

Presentation Title: What Is the Best Compost for My Particular Application?

Presentation Description: More compost is available today than ever before and end users are trying to determine what is the best product for their particular application. And particular compost characteristics are more important than others, depending on the specific compost application. For example, using compost as a turf topdressing would require a finely textured product with greater amounts of slow releasing nitrogen, while a product used in erosion control would be coarser in nature and lower in nutrients. The paper will review the most important compost characteristics to consider for certain compost applications. It will discuss standard specifications that exist, as well as how the STA program testing protocols can assist in meeting product specifications.