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Committee approves bill to ease composting of animal offal, mortalities for agricultural use
Summary
HB 342 would allow meat processors and agricultural producers to reuse offal and mortalities as compost on farms under clarified regulatory definitions; the committee recommended the bill with a favorable vote.
The House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environmental Standing Committee on Feb. 3, 2025, recommended HB 342, a bill that adjusts regulatory definitions and permits use of animal offal and mortalities as compost on agricultural land.
Why it matters: Sponsors and state officials said the change reduces reliance on landfill disposal, makes processing plants more economically viable and supports on-farm soil-building through composting practices already used by many dairies and cattle operations.
What presenters told the committee: Representative Kohler described the problem: with a processor that previously collected offal out of business, some plants lost access to disposal options and resorted to landfills. Utah State agronomist Dr. Earl Creech explained compost chemistry — proper carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, moisture, and oxygen — and cited research showing compost can significantly improve soil organic matter and crop yields. Millard County dairyman John Nye described 20 years of on-farm composting experience for mortalities: he said properly managed compost "doesn't cause any nuisance smells" and that mortality compost has high humic content that neighbors value for gardens.
Doug Hansen, director of the Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, said the bill removes a regulatory obstacle that previously treated return-to-farm arrangements as commercial operations and that removing that barrier will let processors and farmers continue beneficial reuse.
Public comment and support: Terry Camp of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation testified in support, saying the bill provides additional disposal options and supports livestock processing facilities.
Committee action: Representative Owens moved to recommend HB 342 with a favorable recommendation; the motion passed by unanimous voice vote. The committee recorded the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Agriculture as agencies involved in implementation.
What’s next: HB 342 will be sent to the House floor. Agencies indicated they will provide guidance on implementation and continue coordination with processors and producers.
