Compost Reimbursement Program

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

The state of Hawaii will reimburse 50% of the cost for compost purchased by ag producers. Details and contacts below:

NR19-13
June 10, 2019


COMPOST REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) has established the Compost Reimbursement Program which may reimburse agricultural producers for the cost of purchasing compost.
Act 89 which was enacted in 2018, allocated $650,000 over a two-year period for the reimbursement of 50 percent of compost cost incurred by agricultural producers during fiscal year 2019 (July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019) and a portion of fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019 to March 30, 2020) not to exceed $50,000 per applicant per year. Funds for the remainder of the three-year program have not yet been funded by the legislature.
“This reimbursement program is aimed at providing assistance to farmers to ease some of the operational cost relating to the purchase of composting material,” said Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser, chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture.
Under the reimbursement program, compost must be purchased from a certified processor, retailer or wholesaler licensed to do business in Hawaii. In addition, certified Hawaii processors are limited to those companies regulated under the Hawaii Department of Health’s Solid Waste Management Program.

Qualified applicants must also provide a W-9 tax form, sample invoice and proof of compliance with federal, state and county tax and business regulations.

For more information and to download the application forms, go to:
http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/blog/main/compostreimbursement/

[rainyjim]

I’ll be honest i’m pretty surprised about this program. My initial thought being: wow, someone who owns a local composting facility is extremely well connected!

[terracore]

"Qualified applicants must also provide a W-9 tax form, sample invoice and proof of compliance with federal, state and county tax and business regulations."

Agreed. "Nice" how the program is geared only towards established large businesses and not "the little guy" trying to start out and has not yet grasped tax forms, invoices, and "proof of compliance with federal, state and county tax and business regulations" (whatever THAT means). It seems it's not just the people who own the composting facility that is well connected, but also the ones buying the compost, as this sweetheart deal seems tailored to keep out everybody else. With our tax dollars.

[kalakoa]

someone who owns a local composting facility is extremely well connected

Funny, I seem to recall the composting facility being built with public dollars. About $10M if I remember right. After which someone else operates it? On our behalf.

[randomq]

Well someone has to operate it, it's not like the compost just breaks down on its own... Er... Special skills that require contracting out... Um... Still need county employees to oversee the operation... Uh... Needs more funding, you have to pay more taxes if you want these services...

[1voyager1]

Looks to me like a subsidy program for the county's plan for a new composting facility in Kea'au.
They have said they will be charging for the compost they produce, which will be a less than what they now produce in Hilo.
My suspicion is that mulch/compost will no longer be available/affordable for home use by the citizens of the county.

I no longer take green waste to the transfer stations.
I am composting all my palm fronds, tree prunings, grass and weed cuttings, etc for my own use.
I foresee that the only way to obtain compost produced by the county is from an aftermarket seller.
Hope I'm wrong.

[rainyjim]

1v1, that’s exactly what I see.

Taxpayers are subsidizing someone’s compost business by paying for the county business which will no longer be available to taxpayers who will now have to purchase compost from the 3rd party (county/taxpayer subsidized) business. It’s basically a parasite.

[kalakoa]

taxpayers who will now have to purchase compost from the 3rd party

I predict that the compost won't actually be available because commercial haulers with much bigger trucks will be taking it all to west-side resort landscaping projects.

[1voyager1]

They've already been rationing it since actually beginning to do the composting themselves.
My last load was wood chips.
It's been a while since picking up compost, but you did have to beat the bigger truck to it.
After beginning to do the composting they limited loads to 10 yds or tons, don't remember which.
I can hold and carry a ton in my Dak.
It squats and grunts, but does the job.
I had added side boards that gave me a 4 yd capacity.
Compost is much heavier than mulch.
If they put 4yds in it, it would probably blow all 4 tires.

I was going to add overload air shocks so that it would ride more evenly, now not going to do that until I see how this ends up working.

Will be looking at picking up a chipper.

[terracore]

Does anybody know how much longer the free mulch will be available?