WKU Compost

The WKU compost facility started in the mid-1980s  as a collaborative effort between the WKU Department of Agriculture and Food Science and the City of Bowling Green to reduce the amount of organic material taken to the landfill. 3,000-5,000 cubic yards of leaves per year are collected from the city and local lawn care companies to be converted over time into high-quality compost for sale to the community. Most of our sales go to homeowners and landscapers to be used in flowerbeds and backyard vegetable gardens as a soil amendment. We also provide wholesale opportunities to customers in South Central Kentucky and Nashville markets.

The WKU Department of Agriculture and Food Science is proud to offer scholarships funded by these sales. 75% of the money is awarded in scholarships to agriculture students, and the city receives the other 25%. Since the program began, over $200,000 has been given to agriculture students. We receive a yearly grant from the city to help offset operational costs. In 2017, we began a collaborative effort with WKU Dining Services to compost food scraps from campus. This program allows us to reduce WKU's footprint at the landfill as part of a campus sustainability initiative.