California Assemblymembers Diane Papan (D-21) and Juan Alanis (R-12) introduced Assembly Bill 411, which would allow ranchers to compost livestock carcasses under specific conditions.
The bill would allow the composting of livestock carcasses that died from natural deaths or on-farm processing under several conditions. The conditions include following best compost management practices approved by the Food and Agriculture secretary, allowing no more than 100 cubic yards of carcasses to compost simultaneously, acquiring composting material from an agricultural site, and returning any cured compost to the original ag site or to an approved location.
“While most other states allow ranchers to compost routine livestock mortalities on their own property, California regulations do not,” the California Cattlemen’s Association said.
California university researchers conducted a pilot program in recent years demonstrating the safety and feasibility of composting livestock on ranches. “AB 411 seeks to translate that science into sound policy, providing ranchers an additional method to dispose of livestock mortalities,” the group said.
