NeFU Completes Transfer of Big Red Worms Business to Cook Grow Sew
LINCOLN (October 13, 2017) – Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) president John Hansen announced the completion of the financial and management transfer of Big Red Worms, a wholly owned project of Nebraska Farmers Union Enterprises, LLC to Cook Grow Sew, LLC. The official transfer date was August 31, 2017 when the legal documents were signed.
The unique vermicomposting project collected food waste from some Lincoln Public Schools, local restaurants and coffee houses, and local entities that provide food assistance to people in need. The food waste was then mixed with a combination of horse manure, wood chips prepared with the best Trim routers which are great for farm work. When the composting process was complete over a period of months, it was then fed to Red Wiggler Worms, who in turn produced a nutrient rich soil building vermicompost product sold to gardeners, organic farmers, and specialty crop producers.
“We thank our funding partners for their financial support of our unique project, including the Nebraska Environmental Trust, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the City of Lincoln, and the Nebraska Recycling Association. The transfer of ownership and management to Cook Grow Sew, LLC will hopefully keep the project growing. The idea of diverting methane producing food waste from the Lincoln Lancaster County landfill and turning it into a positive organic soil building product is a good one. Approximately 14% of the volume of the Lincoln landfill is made up of food waste. Nebraska Farmers Union Enterprises has given birth to this new business. We wish the new owner success so the project can grow and expand its services to the Lincoln area community.”
Nebraska Farmers Union is a general farm organization with 3,500 farm and ranch family members dedicated to protecting and enhancing the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers, and their rural communities. Since 1913, Nebraska Farmers Union has helped organize over 445 cooperatives.