As cities across the nation increasingly embrace composting as a sustainable solution to food waste, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is proud to offer access to leading experts in the field. In advance of Learn About Composting Day, UF/IFAS faculty and Extension agents throughout the state are available to provide valuable insights, research findings and practical advice on composting practices.
These experts are at the forefront of research and implementation of composting strategies that aim to reduce landfill waste and preserve the environment. They play a central role in the Compost Consortium, a UF/IFAS initiative established in 2024 that brings together researchers, policymakers and industry leaders to develop practical composting solutions for Florida.
Landfills produce up to 14 % of all methane emissions annually, creating a variety of health and environmental hazards, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Our experts are available for interviews to share their knowledge, experiences and programs.
Meet some of our UF/IFAS composting experts:
Mica McMillan
Assistant professor of environmental horticulture, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center
- Expertise: McMillan leads the Compost Consortium and in addition to conducting research on environmental horticulture, she focuses on urban food waste management and micro-composting initiatives.
Dave Hébert
Soil biologist and agent at UF/IFAS Extension Nassau County
- Expertise: Hébert promotes composting practices through a variety of workshops. He covers many practices from selecting compostable food items to identifying microorganisms and maintaining compost piles.
- Upcoming program: Register for the June 7 Compost Workshop Therm n’ Worm Compost and Learn: UF/IFAS Extension presents how to use the power of thermal microbes (therm) and red wigglers (worm) to achieve success in composting.
Randall Penn
UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County agent
- Expertise: Penn serves as the waste reduction and composting agent in Sarasota County, providing workshops and educational programs, and hands-on activities for building and maintaining home compost systems.
Carrie Stevenson
UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County agent
- Expertise: Stevenson has a repertoire of topics including sustainable living practices and composting basics. Educational outreach topics include recycling kitchen and yard waste into valuable soil amendments, as well as providing practical advice on setting up and maintaining compost bins.
Calvin Gardner
UF/IFAS Extension Orange County agent
- Expertise: Gardner provides basics on backyard composting and urban plant waste management. Among future topics to watch out for at UF/IFAS Extension Orange County are introduction to composting and vermicomposting.
###
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
0
