Titusville Explores Commercial Composting & Regenerative Agriculture for a Sustainable Future

The City of Titusville Sustainability Coordinator recently joined representatives from Brevard County Solid Waste Management, Keep Brevard Beautiful, the Brevard Zoo, and nearby municipalities on a tour of "O Town" Compost and 4Roots Farm Campus in Orlando. The purpose was to explore proven models for composting, regenerative agriculture, and food waste diversion that could be adapted to support sustainability goals in Brevard County.

O Town Compost diverts more than 200 tons of food waste each month through residential, commercial, and school programs, including Florida's first cafeteria composting initiative in 21 Orange County public schools. Their services extend to offices, stadiums, and community events, demonstrating how organics recycling can be integrated into daily life. O Town partners with network of local farmers where the food waste is transported and broken down into high quality compost soil. In exchange, residents who participate in the food waste composting services receive 2 bags of soil a year for their gardens and yards.

4Roots Farm Campus serves as a living laboratory for urban agriculture and biodiversity. The site is powered entirely by solar energy, collects 100% of roof runoff rainwater for irrigation, demonstrates the use of syntropic agroforestry, which is a farming system that prioritizes soil regeneration, carbon capture, and high-density planting using plant diversity and strategic placement instead of pesticides or fertilizers. Pigs are brought in from nearby farms to naturally control sedge weeds. In its greenhouses, crop-rotation, aquaponic, and hydroponic systems demonstrate closed-loop farming practices in an urban environment. With all of these solutions, 4Roots primary goal is to use transform how communities grow, access, and engage through their events, educational programs, and research.

Both of these models demonstrate a strong potential for reducing landfill waste, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting sustainable land use. The City of Titusville will continue working with Brevard County to evaluate potential partnerships or pilot programs that align with the Sustainability Action Plan objectives for urban agriculture and the citywide 75 percent waste diversion goal.

"I am very grateful for Brevard County Solid Waste Management Department for organizing this tour and am eager to help bring more solutions like these to our City." said Titusville's Sustainability Coordinator Lily Galleo.

Solutions such as these will work to progress the adopted Sustainability Action Plan's goals which include elements that promote urban agriculture, a more circular economy, and achieving a 75% waste diversion goals. Together these solutions help the county extend the useful life of our landfill's projected capacity and promote access to healthy locally source food.

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