Orange County’s Division of Environmental Facilities and Services (DEFS) and Orange County Department of Planning will join local community organizations, schools, and businesses to promote food waste recycling at the Orange County Food Security and Sustainability Initiative (OCFSS) on March 31, 2023 at Downing Park Urban Farm, 207 Carpenter Ave. in Newburgh at 5:30 p.m.
The event will feature presentations about the benefits of food scraps recycling and how it can be implemented. Featured speakers will include representatives from the Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners Program, Newburgh Free Academy Zero Waste Club, Sustainable Warwick, Grow Local Greenwood Lake, and Newburgh Urban Farm and Food Initiative (NUFFI). There will also be a Q and A and a tour of the NUFFI composting site at Downing Park Urban Farm at the end of the forum.
Finished compost from Community Compost Co. will be donated to Downing Park Urban Farm in honor of this event. There will also be a food truck and guests over the age of 21 will be provided a free beverage coupon for Newburgh Brewery, in addition to raffle for a chance to win a home composter and rainwater collection barrel.
“The County is proud to have developed new initiatives promoting food waste diversion and composting, which has reduced waste sent to landfills and improved local soil,” Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus said. “By taking these steps, we can reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides, improve water quality and protect the environment.”
