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News & press

News from Fertile Earth — and good news from the field

Official announcements, media coverage and press contacts — plus a running log of positive composting news from South Florida and beyond.

Press releases

Latest from Fertile Earth

New

Fertile Earth Launches Free “Zero Waste 101” Workshop Series as South Florida Rethinks Waste Management

Monthly educational series will help businesses, institutions, and community members better understand composting, food recovery, and the future of organics management.

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Fertile Earth Receives Authorization for Food-to-Food Recycling in Palm Beach County

New program gives businesses a practical way to divert eligible food scraps to local farms, supporting agriculture while reducing waste.

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Fertile Earth Receives Zero Waste Miami Business Award

Debris Free Oceans recognizes Fertile Earth’s work to reduce waste and recover South Florida’s surplus food for people, animals, and soil.

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Fertile Earth Announces Agricultural Compost Production Workshop for South Florida Farmers

A two-day training for South Florida farmers and agricultural teams on compost production and vermicomposting — May 22 at Lucy’s Farm, with an optional May 23 hands-on session at Fertile Earth and Lion Farms.

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“Amazing Redlands!” Bus Tour Launches to Showcase South Florida’s Agricultural Hidden Gems

A guided day trip through the Redland Agricultural District, featuring four stops, workshops, and Caribbean cuisine lunch.

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M-DCPS Partners with Fertile Earth for “The Art of Compost”

Interactive art project celebrates composting, repurposing, and the science of the “Cycle of Return.”

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Good news from the field

Composting is growing

Cities and agencies are keeping more food out of landfills. A few recent milestones, each linked to its source.

Sources checked October 10, 2026.

· Grand Rapids, Mich.

Grand Rapids launches a citywide food-scrap drop-off program

Renew Grand Rapids opened seven drop-off sites. An internal pilot in 2025 diverted 5,000 pounds of food waste in six months, and the city estimates the program could divert 13,000 tons a year.

Source: WOOD TV8 (opens in a new tab)

· Miami-Dade County, Fla.

Miami-Dade unveils its Zero Waste Master Plan

The plan’s 31 strategies aim to raise recycling and waste diversion from 32% to 77% by 2039, including partnerships so hospitality food can be composted or donated instead of landfilled.

Source: WLRN (opens in a new tab)

· New York, N.Y.

New York City gives back 5 million pounds of compost

The NYC Department of Sanitation has given more than 5 million pounds of finished compost to 10,000 residents this year, at six sites across the five boroughs.

Source: NYC Department of Sanitation (opens in a new tab)

· Detroit, Mich.

Detroit will expand drop-off composting

After a pilot kept more than 3,300 pounds of food scraps out of landfills between August and November 2025, the city’s Office of Sustainability announced it will expand its drop-off program.

Source: 94.7 WCSX (opens in a new tab)

· International

International Compost Awareness Week 2026 wraps up

Held May 3–9 under the theme “Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us,” the week brought compost workshops, facility tours, school programs, festivals and compost giveaways across the U.S. and internationally.

Source: Compost Research & Education Foundation (opens in a new tab)

· New York, N.Y.

New Yorkers set a third straight curbside composting record

Residents set out 6,062,000 pounds of food and yard waste in a single week — topping the record set the week before, and the week before that.

Source: NYC Department of Sanitation (opens in a new tab)

In the news

Media coverage

As seen onCBS NewsMiami HeraldNBC 6 (WTVJ)Waste360BioCycleWaste TodayYahoo Finance

Waste360

Fertile Earth receives authorization for food-to-food recycling in Palm Beach County.

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Miami-Dade County · June 3, 2026

Official County announcement highlighting Fertile Earth’s composting pilot with the Department of Solid Waste Management and the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority.

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Waste Today

Miami-Dade County showcases composting pilot program.

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BioCycle

Miami-Dade County launches composting pilot to evaluate organics diversion.

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CBS Saturday Morning

Fertile Earth’s first appearance on national news.

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Miami Herald

Pumpkin partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

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NBC 6 Miami

Residential program brings new soil to the Everglades.

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Yahoo Finance

MDIA grant creates project with Miami-Dade County’s Department of Solid Waste Management.

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Community News Network

Podcast with Robert Ruano and Dr. Lanette Sobel.

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Media contact

Fertile Earth · 15150 SW 264 Street, Homestead, FL 33032

abel@fertileearth.net

Phone (786) 232-3002 · Press cell (786) 232-3018

Logos, photos and video: press kit

Press kit

Download logos, photography and approved video for publication.

Open the press kit (opens in a new tab)