May 20, 2024 3:20 a.m.
The City of Sutherlin has become one of the 38 recipients of an $11.5 million investment by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support innovative, scalable waste management plans aimed at reducing and diverting food waste from landfills.
A City release said the project, funded through the Composting and Food Waste Reduction Act, marks a significant milestone for the rural community.
Partnering with local organizations, including Sutherlin Sanitary Services and Source One Serenity’s HealTerra worm farm, the city aims to divert food waste from landfills and transform it into valuable compost and worm castings.
Community Development Director Kristi Gilbert said, “This pilot project represents a crucial step towards a more sustainable future for our community”. Gilbert said, “By collaborating with local organizations and leveraging USDA funding, we’re not only reducing food waste, but also supporting local economic development and our veteran’s community”.
Sutherlin Sanitary Services, a key partner in the initiative, will be responsible for collecting food waste and delivering it to HealTerra’s composting facility.
Source One Serenity Executive Director Elena Lininger said, “We are so grateful that the City of Sutherlin and Sutherlin Sanitary Services have stepped up to launch a food waste reduction project for their community, and we look forward to building a strong relationship with them”. Lininger said, “Their integral role in waste collection ensures that we can effectively operate our facility to divert food waste from landfills and turn it into valuable resources for our community, making it more resilient and reducing our dependence on imported synthetic fertilizers that deplete our soil. Expanding our composting facility is a crucial step in continuing our mission of supporting veterans”.
The release said the initiative will initially focus on ten kitchens within the City of Sutherlin, with the goal of diverting 10-15 tons of food waste annually.
The pilot project will serve as a model for future expansion and is expected to generate valuable data to inform further initiatives in food waste reduction. Partnership with organizations such as the Oregon State University Extension Office, Sutherlin Farmers Market and Sutherlin Chamber of Commerce will also play an important role in raising awareness and promoting participation in the program.
Community Development Assistant Brandy Medeiros said Sutherlin received $207,671 in federal funds for the project. Source One Serenity provided $51,918 for a total project cost of $259,589.