• Agromin Receives Two Awards For Its Recycling Efforts - Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 12:05 PM

  • Agromin, the green materials recycler for 19 cities in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties, received two awards on October 17 in recognition of the company's long-standing recycling efforts.

    Agromin received the first-ever recycling award from the Ventura County Integrated Waste Management Division. The award was given for Agromin's leadership not only in recycling but marketing all of the green waste in Ventura County.

    "The Integrated Waste Management Division of Ventura County appreciates
    Agromin's willingness to experiment with new methods of processing difficult
    to recycle materials," says Sandy Lomeli, environmental resource analyst at the county.

    Agromin's second award came from the Ventura County Board of Supervisors for the company's "outstanding recycling and waste diversion efforts."

    “I am proud of Agromin’s growing leadership in green waste recycling that is recognized throughout Ventura County and the State," says Ventura County Supervisor Kathy Long. "Agromin’s recycling efforts cut waste that overwhelm our landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, curbs erosion, and improves water efficiency.”

    Each month, Agromin receives and processes 260,000 tons of urban wood and green waste from local residents and businesses. Agromin then uses a safe, organic and scientific system to formulate soil products from the processed recycled green materials.

    "Our company's primary goal is to complete the recycling loop," says Bill Camarillo, Agromin CFO. "Each week, green materials collected from curbside are composted and processed until they become quality soil products for use in backyards, farms and commercial landscapes," says Bill Camarillo, Agromin CFO. "The grass clippings and leaves you dispose of in your recycling bin comes back in the form of compost or mulch products for your lawn or garden as one of the reuse options."


    Agromin compost is approved by the non-profit Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) so it is used in certified organic production or food processing in accordance to the USDA National Organic Program standards. Agromin soil products are certified and approved for organic production by the U.S. Composting Council (USCC). The certification means Agromin has met the USCC standards for compost content and its soil products are clean and safe.

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  • Santa Paula & Fillmore Recycled Green Materials Now Available As Soil Products - Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 8:58 AM
  • Materials collected each week from the green waste bins of Santa Paula and Fillmore residents are turned into soil products and mulches that are now available at four area outlets.

    Planting mix, potting soil and other soil amendments are produced by Santa Paula and Fillmore's green waste recycler, Agromin. They are available at AG Rx (186 Telegraph Rd., Fillmore), Fillmore Rentals (215 Palm St., Fillmore), Fruit Growers Supply Company (980 W. Telegraph Rd., Santa Paula) and Heritage Do It Best Hardware (568 W. Main St., Santa Paula).

    Agromin, based in Camarillo, is the second largest green waste recycler in California. It processes more than 250,000 tons of green waste every year from cities throughout Southern California. One of Agromin's green materials recycling facilities is on five acres of Limoneira Company land in Santa Paula.

    "Residents help with the green recycling process by putting green materials in their recycling bins each week and again by using the soil products produced from the cleaned and composted lawn clippings, leaves and wood," says Bill Camarillo Agromin CFO. "It's a unique way to reuse local green materials that would otherwise end up in our landfills."
  • Environmental Innovation and Improving the Lemon Crop - Friday, August 22, 2008 at 5:19 PM


  • California Fresh Fruit

    August 3, 2008


    Imagine using less water and less fertilizers on your crops, yet produce higher yields and healthier plants and trees. That’s the result of a unique partnership between agricultural giants Limoneira Company, The Newhall Land & Farming Company and the second largest green waste recycler in California, Agromin.Both ag companies use mulch produced by Agromin on hundreds of acres of farmland.


    Limoneira, one of California’s largest agribusinesses, partnered with Agromin in 2004 to develop a five-acre green materials recycling facility on Limoneira land in Santa Paula. The facility receives 200 tons of green materials a day from surrounding municipalities, which is then converted into about 125 tons of mulch. The mulch is distributed throughout Limoneira’s lemon and avocado orchards.


    “Our trees have healthier root systems because of the nutrients in the mulch,” says Alex Teague, senior vice president at Santa Paula-based Limoneira Company. “Crop production has increased 10 percent and the quality of fruit has improved.”


    Since using Agromin mulch, Teague says Limoneira’s water usage is down 32 percent. So is the use of herbicides and pesticides. Erosion is also in check.


    The partnership happened almost by accident. Agromin was looking for a new location for one of its facilities. “Limoneira is a leader in sustainable agriculture. When we saw the opportunity to obtain high quality urban mulch from a quality operator, we jumped at the chance,” says Teague. “We are guaranteed, day in and day out, quality materials for our land. Plus, we are helping the environment by keeping waste out of the landfill.”


    The Agromin-Newhall Land partnership is relatively new. Formed in 2007, Agromin maintains a seven-acre green materials recycling facility on the Newhall Ranch. Agromin receives about 250 tons a day of green materials, collected locally from Valencia and the Santa Clarita Valley. The facility produces about 100 tons of mulch which is used on 250 acres of Valencia orange and lemon groves.


    “Before partnering with Agromin, we used synthetic-based fertilizers to maintain our fruit trees,” says Mike Mendes, general manager of agriculture for Newhall Land. “Now we are reusing a sustainable mulch product and reducing expenses at the same time. By working with Agromin, we only incur the expense of spreading the materials.”


    Mendes notes that the company now uses less herbicide since mulch helps prevent weed growth. “Our trees are healthy and the soil fertility has improved. The soil is now full of earthworms,” he says.Creating a sustainable process was also important to Newhall Land when deciding to use recycled green materials for its agriculture operations. “What was once a waste product is now a valuable resource for our company,” says Mendes. “We’re able to use local green materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill, turn it into mulch, and use it locally in our orchards. We are completing the circle of environmental sustainability.”


    Agromin is the green materials recycler for 19 cities in Ventura, Santa Barbara and parts of Los Angeles counties. It receives over 20,000 tons a day of urban green waste (grass clippings, leaves, branches) at its five processing facilities. The materials are then cleaned of plastics, glass, paper and other “non-green” items. It is chopped and spread into long composting rows where it is watered and turned for about 45 days. Tiny microbes transform the green waste into nutrient-rich compost and eventually mulch.


    “Facilities onsite at Limoneira and Newhall make it easy to distribute the mulch directly to the orchards,” says Bill Camarillo, Agromin’s CFO. “Our three other processing locations distribute products to additional ag companies, municipalities, landscapers and to consumers who can buy in bulk or bag.”


    Agromin’s compost complies with the requirements of the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). Agromin is one of only five companies in the country that produces plant-only compost products approved by the non-profit organization. OMRI-listed products may be used in certified organic production or food processing according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Program.


    “OMRI approves the products used to grow or produce organic foods,” explains Camarillo. “Farmers who grow organic products can use our ‘Compost 100’ in their fields as part of their effort to comply with USDA organic standards.” Agromin soil products are also certified by the U.S. Composting Council (USCC). The certification means Agromin has met the USCC standards for compost content and its soil products are clean and safe.


    “We cannot continue to put synthetic products into the soil and expect it to be healthy,” says Teague. “Using mulch made from urban green waste in a natural fit. It’s common sense to work with Mother Nature not against her.” ■

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  • Becoming Sustainable, A Step at a Time - Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 10:34 AM

  • The Santa Clarita Signal

    By Dianne Erskine-HellrigelPosted: June 28, 2008

    'Sustainability" is our latest buzzword. But sustainability is more than just a buzzword. It is a great opportunity for companies, cities, and individuals to explore fantastic avenues for self-sufficiency, creating a healthier environment, and increasing profitability.

    As the city of Santa Clarita is quickly moving in a green direction, many companies are following suit by offering sustainable opportunities for their clients. People are becoming more environmentally and economically conscientious.

    A partnership between The Newhall Land and Farming Company and Agromin has created a sustainable operation right here in Santa Clarita, in the form of green waste recycling.

    Bill Camarillo, president of Agromin at the Santa Clarita plant, says, "Over 10 million tons of green waste and 2.5 million tons of urban wood waste enters the waste stream in California. We can now keep this huge amount of waste out of the landfills, and recycle it."

    By recycling this previously overlooked trash, Agromin and Newhall Land are able to reduce the waste that goes to our dumps by approximately 30 percent.Clean green waste consists of leaves, grass, lumber, branches and yard trimmings. It does not include plastic, kitchen waste, cardboard or other recyclables.

    Once you've put these non-green things in your trash, it is difficult and costly to get them out of the system. When you purchase garden soils, you expect them to be clean and free of plastics, rocks and non-biodegradable trash. You can do your part by keeping those things out of your green waste container.

    So what happens to all this green waste when it goes to Agromin? Green waste from the Santa Clarita Valley comes to the site every day. It is cleaned by hand and machine, removing non-green trash materials. Once the green waste is clean, the company grinds it, screens it, composts it and then screens it again. The yield is rich mulch, ready for farm and garden. These products are safe, organic, recycled waste, taking us all one step closer to sustainability.

    Agromin's products are used by landscapers, homeowners, and California's farmers. California growers use approximately 40 percent of Agromin's products. Newhall Land uses the mulch, integrating it into the soil to improve soil fertility and reduce water evaporation. Newhall Land's agricultural operations are also using it in their orchards as a thick layer of mulch on top of the soil, which helps prevent weed growth. This has virtually eliminated the need to use herbicides in the orchards.

    Newhall Land has also put together an environmental education program for local school children called "Carrots for Kids," which has educated Saugus Union School District second-graders about sustainability.Kids learn about green waste recycling, keeping the earth healthy, and growing their own food. Now, that is teaching our kids real, healthy, personal sustainability!

    In addition to the kids' carrots kit, the program also offers salsa kits, pesto kits and kitchen herb kits. Check them out online at www.agromin.com.Problem soils are caused by overuse of pesticides, herbicides and natural erosion of topsoil. Using recycled green waste leads to healthier plants, less use of pesticides and herbicides, conservation of water, improvement of soil fertility, reduction of the amount of nitrates leaching into our groundwater, reduction in erosion and addition of organic matter to the soil.

    Another plus to having Newhall Land working directly with Agromin is that everything stays local here in the Santa Clarita Valley. There are no major trucking operations anywhere. Agromin's finished products are used locally by Newhall Land's citrus orchards, as well as other local outlets. Keeping everything local means no long-distance trucking, and virtually no carbon spewed into the air by long truck hauls.

    Agromin has also joined the Climate Action Registry and has agreed to voluntarily track and report greenhouse gas emissions.

    Agromin receives 250,000 tons of green waste annually. That is probably 40 percent of our total waste stream. Imagine all that stuff being recycled instead of going into our landfills!By recycling this green waste, we also reduce the amount of greenhouse gases from landfills. Agromin and Newhall Land have definitely found a way to go green by taking something that would normally go into the landfill and turning it into something useful. Their work helps to bring us all one step closer to sustainability.

    Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel is a Santa Clarita Valley resident, volunteer and leader of the SCV Community Hiking Club. Her column represents her own views, not necessarily those of The Signal.
  • Cut Down On Outdoor Watering Even As Weather Heats Up - Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 9:32 AM
  • July temperatures can easily reach triple digits. Smart watering techniques can keep gardens and lawns from wilting during the summer's hottest days, say experts at Agromin, a Camarillo-based manufacturer of premium soil products.

    Place Mulch Around Your Plants, Gardens And Trees: Mulch consists of various sizes of chopped wood, usually made from recycled trees and other wood materials. Place about 2 inches of mulch around plants and trees to keep roots cool even during the heat of the day. This reduces moisture loss and suppresses weed growth. It also reduces erosion so its use on hillsides and slopes is ideal.

    Water In Early Morning: Use trickle irrigation, soaker hoses or other water-conserving methods. It's also best to water in the early morning, especially during hot summer months, to reduce evaporation. Apply about an inch of water-- enough that it soaks 6 to 8 inches into the soil. With a mulched landscape, you can usually reduce watering schedules to two or three times a week.

    Lawn Water Care: It's best to water only when the lawn really needs it, and then to water slowly and deeply. This trains the grass roots to reach deeper into the ground. Frequent shallow watering trains roots to stay near the surface, making the lawn less able to find moisture during dry periods. Every lawn's watering needs are unique: they depend on rainfall, grass and soil type and the general health of the lawn, but even in very dry areas, no established home lawn requires daily watering.

    Summer Garden Planting: If you haven't had time to plant a garden, you still can grow a variety of vegetables in July and enjoy vegetables by late summer and early fall. These include beans, beets, carrots, corn, cantaloupe, okra squash and spinach. Flowers such as gladiolus, calla lilies, marigolds, zinnias and dahlias can also be planted in July

    Caring For Your Rose Bushes: Remove dried flowers by cutting back to the first leaf after rose flower clusters. This will stimulate growth.

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  • Agromin wins key organic approval - Wednesday, June 11, 2008 at 10:15 AM
  • Certification to help farm sales
    By Jim McLain Wednesday, June 11, 2008
    Ventura County Star

    Agromin Inc., a Camarillo company that uses green waste to manufacture some 250 soil and mulch products, has won a key designation that is expected to boost its sales to the organic farming industry.

    Company officials were notified last month that Agromin products meet the requirements of the nonprofit Organic Materials Review Institute, an executive said.
    The designation means that Agromin's composted products may be used in certified organic production or food processing according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program.

    "This has tremendous potential for us because now this allows us to sell our composted products into the organics agricultural marketplace," said Bill Camarillo, Agromin's chief financial officer. "We had not been able to do that before."

    Agromin is one of only five companies in the country that produce composted products from plants that are approved by the Eugene, Ore.-based organization.

    Camarillo said Agromin will include the OMRI approval in its advertising and packaging labels. The designation, he said, assures growers that Agromin products contain no chemicals or human or animal waste, and it certifies that the company uses composting procedures that kill any pathogens and tests its products regularly.

    The company recycles more than 250,000 tons of green waste annually from businesses and residences in 19 cities in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties, including all 10 in Ventura County. It uses the grass, leaves, branches and other plant material to make a variety of topsoils, soil amendments and mulches for commercial farming operations and backyard gardeners.

    Launched in 1972 as a wholly owned subsidiary of California Wood Recycling Corp. in Ventura, Agromin employs 70 people in six processing facilities in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Company sales last year totaled about $12 million, Camarillo said.
    The OMRI designation should boost sales, he added, because increasing numbers of growers are switching to organic crop production. Organic farmers use fertilizers and pesticides made from plants and animals instead of manufactured chemicals.

    Agromin has strategic partnerships with the Limoneira Co., Newhall Land and Farming Co. and other agricultural companies to turn their green waste into a variety of mulches and soil products for their crops. Because mulches retain moisture, their use enables growers to reduce irrigation, Camarillo said.

    The company also is working to earn green waste recycling agreements with additional cities, he added. He noted that state law requires cities to recycle half their total waste by 2012.

    Camarillo said Agromin is working with the state on a study that the company hopes will show that organic green-waste recycling reduces the release of carbon emissions and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

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  • CSUCI Students Clear Non-Native Plants From Ormond - Monday, June 9, 2008 at 5:02 PM



  • June 4, 2008--Nineteen college students from Cal State University Channel Islands spent two weekends clearing non-native grasses and plants from Ormond Beach in Oxnard. The students, mostly business majors, volunteered as part of their Resource Management class. Their efforts resulted in three, eight-foot by six-foot piles of non-native materials that will be recycled into mulch by Agromin, the green materials recycler for cities in Ventura County.

    "I'm in awe at what they accomplished in such a short period," says Nancy Pederson, who heads the Ormond Pointe Native Plant Nursery and Restoration Project.

    During their work weekends, college students planted native coreopsis and lupine grown by kids at Briggs Elementary School in Santa Paula and by members of the Ventura County Master Gardeners. The plants were grown from seeds in soil donated by Agromin.

    The college students also used black plastic from Agromin to solarize some of the non-native plants that had intruded in the area. " The plastic is placed over the non-native vegetation for several months, baking the soil and keeps the sunlight out," explains Pederson. "This process makes it easier to remove dense, non-native vegetation. We'll then plant native milkweed grown at Briggs Elementary School."

    As the college students began clearing a hill on the site, they found that it wasn't a hill at all. "Underneath the dirt was a mound of concrete that someone had discarded," says Pederson. "Construction workers used the area as a dump. The students removed the non-native plants and grasses but left a bit of the concrete visible as a reminder of what was done. The hill will eventually be planted in coreopsis and lupine."

    The 10-year restoration project of Ormond Beach started in 2006 and covers approximately 11 acres of degraded wetlands currently owned by the Oxnard Waste Water Department. Volunteers have succeeded in restoring about 1 1/2 acres. "The hard work by the college students put us ahead schedule," says Pederson. "The kids were there waiting for me and were ready to work. They could have written a paper to satisfy their class assignment, but chose to work on this project instead."

    Pederson gives Agromin credit for helping the project succeed. "If we didn't have Agromin's generous help, we couldn't have done what we've done," says Pederson. "We couldn't afford to buy potting soil or the solar plastic. The Briggs Elementary School didn't have the money to buy soil for planting and many Master Gardeners are on fixed incomes so they couldn't afford the soil and seeds for the project. Agromin donated it all."

    "Anytime we see an opportunity to recycle green materials that we can eventually return to the earth, we're happy to help," says Bill Camarillo, Agromin CFO. "The Ormond Pointe restoration project is a great way for residents of all ages to contribute to restoring the beauty of our area. It's also an opportunity to teach kids, from elementary school to college age, about the importance of green recycling and becoming good stewards of the land."