Ag Choice

Since 2006, Ag Choice has been the leader in agricultural composting in New Jersey. Working with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, NRCS and the Sussex County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, owners Jay and Jill Fischer established the first on-farm composting operation approved by the NJDEP to perform agricultu... ral recycling. They are certified organic by NOFA-NJ too. Agricultural recycling involves actively controlling the decomposition of a variety of organic matter. It is, at its best, a bit different than putting the manure in a pile and aging it to spread on fields. It isn't even quite the same as adding your own farm food scraps, straw and other green waste and mixing. It's a highly controlled science that yields an active, living soil full of the right microbes, a humus, which becomes extremely beneficial to soil health. At Ag Choice, the organic matter consists of horse manure and pre-consumer food scraps as well as some plant-based waste from manufactured products. Ag Choice has pioneered the standards for agricultural composting in New Jersey over the five years, acting as a pilot program for this type of waste management. The Fischers have been established programs for collecting the horse manure and used wood shavings from area farms, with both drop-off and pickup services. However, they are currently at capacity for this service, with regular customers providing all the materials they can handle. Their food waste collections consists of pre-consumer wastes, typically floral and bakery waste from area grocery stores, along with produce culls. Ag Choice offers collection of these types of materials, potentially saving their customers money by reducing their landfill waste disposal fees, as these items typically are disposed of as regular garbage. While the Fischers run a successful business selling their compost in bags and bulk, they have also added to their product line by becoming distributors for other eco-friendly farm and landscape products. They now offer ...Read More