Food waste is the single largest category of material in American landfills, yet most of it can be turned into a resource right in your own backyard. The UGA Extension Master Composter Program trains individuals to become community leaders in composting, food waste reduction, and sustainable waste management, building local capacity for healthier soils and more resilient communities across Georgia.
Participants receive hands-on training in composting science, composting methods, soil health, and environmental stewardship. Programs typically run four to six weeks and cost around $100-$150, though details may vary by location. Graduates earn the Master Composter designation and become composting advocates in their communities, equipped to share what they have learned and help others reduce waste and build healthier soils.
Center-managed. Delivered locally.
The Center for Urban Agriculture coordinates the Master Composter curriculum in partnership with UGA Extension, the Sustainable Urban Landscapes lab, and the Georgia Composting Council. The program is delivered across the state by county Extension agents, and each county’s offerings vary based on local capacity and community need. If a program is not running in your area, let us know you are interested and we will reach out when one is planned near you.
What you will learn
The Master Composter Program covers composting science, composting methods (including backyard bins, vermicomposting, school- and community-scale systems), soil health and amendment, food waste reduction strategies, and environmental stewardship. Programs are offered in a four-week or six-week format depending on the hosting county, blending classroom instruction with hands-on practice.
Who should attend
The Master Composter Program is for anyone interested in composting and community sustainability, whether you manage your own backyard bin, want to start an on-farm and nursery composting program, are interested in compost use in the landscape, work with a community garden, teach at a school, or want to reduce food waste in your neighborhood or organization. No prior composting experience is required.
Find a program, or tell us where one should be
Start by checking with your county Extension agent to see whether a Master Composter training is currently scheduled in your area. If there is nothing nearby, let us know you are interested using the form below. We use the interest list to plan where future programs are offered.
Program contact
Bethany A Harris
Center for Urban Agriculture Director
Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture (GCUA)
Heather Kirk Ballard
Assistant Professor – Sustainable Urban Landscapes
Horticulture
The Master Composter Program Management Team is a partnership among the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture, UGA Extension, the Sustainable Urban Landscapes lab, and the Georgia Composting Council (a state chapter of the U.S. Composting Council).