Governor Signs WUD-Supported AB 411 — New Flexibility for On-Farm Composting

A new law championed by Western United Dairies gives California dairy farmers the ability to safely compost routine animal mortalities on-site, expanding sustainable management options statewide.

Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed AB 411 (Papan) into law, a measure strongly supported by Western United Dairies to provide dairy producers with a practical and environmentally responsible option for managing routine animal mortalities and butcher waste on-site.

This new law applies equally to dairies and livestock facilities throughout the State of all sizes. There are no excluded locations or sizes of facilities. Operations cannot begin composting animals onsite until the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) develops and approves best management practices for livestock composting to ensure the process is carried out safely and in compliance with environmental standards.

Under the new law, dairy farmers will now be allowed to compost up to 100 cubic yards of organic material at any one time—roughly equivalent to the remains of six to ten animals, or about 40 animals annually based on a 90-day composting cycle.  Until now, dairy producers and other livestock operations have faced extremely limited disposal options. With only a handful of rendering facilities still operating in California—mostly concentrated in the Central Valley and Southern California—many farms have been left without feasible or affordable alternatives. Because state regulations previously prohibited composting, some producers resorted to bone piling, which can attract wildlife and predators.

AB 411 changes that by authorizing a proven, safe, and sustainable management option that’s already permitted in more than 40 other states. 

The legislation faced significant opposition from rendering facilities and labor organizations representing rendering workers. Despite that, the bill advanced through the Legislature without receiving a single “no” vote—thanks to the strong coalition of agricultural groups, environmental advocates, and legislative champions who highlighted the benefits for both producers and the environment. 

Western United Dairies thanks Assemblymember Diane Papan for her leadership and collaboration, as well as the diverse coalition of agricultural and environmental partners that helped make this long-sought change a reality. AB 411 marks a meaningful step forward in providing California’s dairy families with tools to improve sustainability, biosecurity, and operational flexibility on the farm.

CDQAP is preparing an advisory with more information on this topic so be on the lookout for that in the next couple of days. 

Board Election Time Is Almost Here — We Need You!

It’s almost board election time, and we need our members' help. This year, we are changing things up to save time and money. Below is a survey we would appreciate you filling out. The survey will tell our staff if you would prefer to submit your nominations and ballots online or print. Please get back to us by Monday, October 27th. Based on the response feedback, we will send you the upcoming nomination forms and ballots using your preferred method. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the WUD office at (209) 527-6453.

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