The Soil Center is upcycling organic waste into valuable agriculture products
CMI Orchards and Royal Family Farming (RFF) have released new details of their joint venture, The Soil Center (TSC), which seeks to repurpose organic waste into valuable agriculture products such as garden soil blends, compost, worm castings and biochar.
Rochelle Bohm, vice president of marketing at CMI Orchards, said the company has made a zero-burn commitment for removed tree wood, opting to process and upcycle this wood in the world’s largest worm farm at RFF in the state of Washington. “Liquid cow waste is filtered through chipped orchard wood and converted by worms into nutrient-rich compost, closing the loop in our operations,” she explained.
Beginning this year, TSC will process over 100,000 tonnes of dairy manure, chicken manure, culled fruit, and woody waste on an annual basis. Its three biochar reactors will transform more than 20,000 tonnes of woody biomass into biochar annually, sequestering an estimated 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent into the soil for generations to come. Biochar enhances soil structure, water retention and nutrient availability, while also reducing gas emissions from the soil.
“TSC will support a full circle carbon economy leading to essentially zero organic waste for all our owners. We plan to break ground on the Soil Center and have a full estimate on carbon credits in just a couple weeks,” said Michael Hebdon, VP of regenerative agriculture at RFF and general manager of TSC.
TSC is also pursuing Direct Environmental Benefits (DEB) status through Washington’s Cap and Invest programme, aiming to qualify its carbon credits for verified environmental impact.
The carbon rich soil amendments created at TSC will first be supplied to the CMI grower network, and eventually the larger agricultural community.
To further support of its regenerative agriculture goals, CMI Orchards has appointed Rose Vejvoda as sustainability manager. She will work closely with RFF and CMI’s partners to integrate regenerative agriculture into the company’s broader sustainability strategy. Her role includes leading customer sustainability reporting, managing greenhouse gas inventories, and identifying innovative ways to reduce emissions across the value chain—all while supporting grower success and helping retail partners meet their environmental goals.
“I’m incredibly excited to contribute to a company that is already at the forefront of regenerative agriculture and sustainability. Our continued goal is to regenerate the health of our planet while bringing meaningful value to our growers and retail partners,” Vejvoda said.
CMI president Bob Mast commented: “At CMI Orchards, our vision is to be the very best stewards of the planet in our industry – not because it’s marketable or financially beneficial, but because it’s the right thing to do. Our commitment to regenerative agriculture is rooted in our responsibility to care for the land and animals that sustain us, ensuring a healthier planet for generations to come”.
