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The Compost Reimbursement Program (CRP) is a grant program that reimburses Washington farmers who purchase compost from certain commercial facilities in the state. CRP (established under RCW 15.04.420) provides a financial incentive for applying compost onto agricultural land. In addition to providing funding, the program studies the impact of compost on soil quality and carbon storage.
CRP is wrapping up its first year of the program and will begin accepting new applications starting on Monday July 29, 2024 at 12:00pm. Once the application window opens, a link to the online application portal will be posted on the CRP website.
The application process will be different this year. Applications will no longer be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Rather, applications will be accepted from July 29th to September 12th. After this time, WSDA staff will review all submissions and conditionally accept farms based on prioritization metrics, including farm size categories (more information on this below under Program Changes).
Application requirements will also differ this year. Applicants will be required to provide: (1) a Statewide Vendor Number, (2) a quote from the compost facility where the compost will be purchased, and (3) an estimated budget outlining proposed costs.
During the 2024 legislative session, the Washington State Legislature passed new requirements for CRP. These changes will go into effect for the upcoming program year and include:
Selection process
New language passed by the legislature states, “The department must prioritize applicants who purchase and use compost containing food waste feedstocks, where it is practicable for the applicant to purchase and use compost containing food waste feedstocks.”
Applications will be selected based on three priority levels (established in RCW 15.04.420) based on the presence of food-waste feedstock in the compost that will be purchased. During application processing, WSDA will sort all applications into the following priority levels:
Priority 1. The farm will purchase compost that contains food-waste from a facility that sells those products.
Priority 2. It is not practicable for the farm to purchase compost that contains food-waste.
Priority 3. The farm does not intend to purchase compost that contains food-waste despite it being practicable to do so.
Available funding will be distributed in priority order across applications. If the number of prioritized applicants exceeds available funding for that farm size category, participants will be randomly selected from the eligible applications.
Eligible reimbursement amounts based on farm size
New language passed by the legislature states, “The department must attempt to achieve fair distribution of reimbursement funding across different farm size categories, based on acreage categories determined by the department, and which is not to exceed a maximum of $20,000 per fiscal year for the largest farming operation category determined by the department.”
In an attempt to achieve fair distribution, applications will be sorted into three farm size categories (see table below), with each size eligible for a different maximum funding amount. The following funding limits were established to maximize the number of participants in the program and the amount of grant funding distributed to farmers.
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Category
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Farm Size Range
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Funding Maximum Amount
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A
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0-10 acres
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$10,000
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B
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10-50 acres
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$15,000
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C
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50+ acres
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$20,000
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Funding limits for each participating farm will be determined based on the estimated budget they provide in their eligibility application but will not exceed the maximum funding amount for their size category. The final grant funding limit will be established in the grant agreement contract for each farm.
Additionally, there will be a set limit to the number of farms eligible to receive funding for each category. The number of farms per category will fluctuate based on the applicant pool for each year.
Expansion of approved compost facilities
New legislative language allows program participants to purchase compost from permit-exempt facilities. This means that compost may be purchased from Washington facilities that either have a solid waste handling permit or are permit-exempt. Compost must meet the applicable requirements established by the Department of Ecology under chapter 70A.205 RCW.
A map of eligible compost facilities can be found on the CRP website. This map includes additional information on whether each facility includes food waste feedstocks in their compost.
If you’re interested in applying to participate in the program this year, you can prepare with the following steps:
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Visit our website to see a full description of the program and the requirements for participation.
- Apply for a Statewide Vendor Number.
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Research eligible facilities and select one you plan to purchase from.
- Determine which compost product you intend to purchase. Contact your facility and receive a quote for that compost and confirmation of whether it contains food waste feedstocks.
- Prepare a proposed budget which includes how much compost you plan to purchase, and estimations of the reimbursable associated costs.
Applications will open on July 29th at 12:00pm through the online grant portal. A link to the application will be available on our website when applications open.
Thank you for your interest in the Compost Reimbursement Program. For further program details, please visit our website, bit.ly/wsdacompost. If you have any questions, please contact us at compost@agr.wa.gov or call (360) 974-9797.
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