Compost Training Programs
UPCOMING COURSES:
Before registering for any COTC please read the CREF Covid-19 Policy and Liability Release, the COTC Registration Cancellation & Transfer Policy and the COTC Liability Waiver & Photo Release.
You can submit to our COTC Interest List to be notified when new trainings become available.
Can’t find the answer to your question? Contact Kelsea Jacobsen, CREF Project Manager, at kelseajacobsen@compostfoundation.org.
EARLY SUMMER 2025 - NEBRASKA
Date
Location
Flyer
Registration
June 2 - 6, 2025
Lincoln, NE
LATE SUMMER 2025 – NEW YORK
Date
Location
Flyer
Registration
Late Summer 2025
Upstate New York
Coming Spring 2025
Coming Spring 2025
SEPTEMBER 2025 – NORTH CAROLINA
Date
Location
Flyer
Registration
Sep. 8 - 12, 2025
Raleigh, NC
Coming Spring 2025
Coming Spring 2025
About the CREF's Compost Operations Training Course (COTC)
This 5-day course gives you the knowledge you need to run a successful composting facility, whether you’re just getting started or have been composting for a while. In addition to in-depth lectures by nationally-recognized instructors, you'll gain practical experience through hands-on activities, including a team pile build and monitoring, as well as tours to local facilities, where the theories meet reality. From compost operators to environmental and agricultural consultants to local and state regulators; the COTC is for anyone who wants quality instruction from leading composting professionals and educators on the art and science of commercial-scale compost production and marketing.
CURRICULUM:
Day 1: Composting process, feedstocks, recipe development, compost systems
Day 2: Site design, equipment, environmental protection (odors & stormwater), regulations
Day 3: Composting facility tours
Day 4: Compost testing, product quality, compost applications, marketing
Day 5: Facility management, troubleshooting, analyzing compost piles
REGISTRATION FEES:
Small Businesses/ Consultants/ Local Municipalities:
- USCC Members $1,450
- Non-members $1,610
Large Businesses/ Organizations:
- USCC Members $1,620
- Non-members $1,760
Registration by Early Bird date: $100 off any pricing! (date varies by course)
If the cost of attending this course poses a financial hardship, the Cary Oshins Training Scholarship may offer assistance through generous funding from Sustainable Generation. Learn more and apply
here.
The COTC meets training requirements to become a Certified Compost Operations Manager (CCOM) or Certified Composting Professional (CCP). For more info, go to
www.certificationsUSCC.orgPROGRAM SPONSORS
IN-KIND SPONSORS
Year-long, national COTC program sponsorship opportunities are available! Please see here, and if interested, reach out to Kelsea Jacobsen: education@compostfoundation.org or (833) 812-2733 ext.0
Transportation for our trainings is sponsored in part through CharterUP. They offer private group transportation nationally, including hotspots such as New Orleans, San Francisco, and Orlando.
Click here to add your name to our mailing list.