Our mission is to protect and improve the local environmental resources of Montgomery 
County related to agriculture and food.
Focus issues include:
- Monitoring progress and implementation of the County Food Waste Composting and Compost Use Strategic Plan.
- On-farm composting
- Reducing wasted food
- Educating about a healthy plant-based diet
Working Group Initiatives
Support composting through:
-The implementation of the County Food Waste Composting and Compost Use Strategic Plan. Having collaborated with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) on the development of the Strategic Plan in 2017, we will now focus on supporting the implementation of the Plan.
-Convening current providers of residential and municipal composting services and programs to promote regulatory and legislative opportunities for composting facilities of various scale within Montgomery County.
Assess the status of on-farm composting – As a follow-up to the Working Group’s “On-Farm Composting in Montgomery County” meeting in December 2015, we are continuously working with the
Maryland Department of Environment and Montgomery County farmers to assess the challenges and opportunities for improving on-farm composting in Montgomery County.
Compost Market Study – EIWG members are working to research the need for a study of the market for compost in the County. Topics of interest include: how compost use is/is not addressed in County’s Strategic Plan, how to supplement that information, and how to promote compost use residentially and in large institutions
Reducing wasted food – Research and establish appropriate strategies to address the reduction of wasted food in the County, such as the farmer gleaning project currently being piloted at four farms by Community Food Rescue and the Office of Agricultural Services. Our Working Group hosted a gleaning of sweet potato greens at Red Wiggler Farm in August 2018, in collaboration with the Montgomery County Master Gardeners.
Educating about a healthy plant based diet – The Working Group shares and promotes resources and information pertaining to the nutritional and environmental benefits of eating a whole foods, plant based diet.
