The carbon footprint of trucking food scraps and other valuable organic materials out of rural areas is avoided.

It provides a local management option in communities where the materials are generated (farms are often conveniently located for residents, schools, food shelves, general stores, and restaurants).

It keeps the nutrients in organic materials locally available, supporting food production and offsetting some of the cost required for farmers to purchase soil amendments such as fertilizers, compost, or manure.

Composted manure is a more stable material for use on fields, reducing the chance that raw manure will migrate off farms into waterways. This helps mitigate water pollution by avoiding nutrient-rich leachate and runoff.

It can provide a path for farmers to diversify their income through fees charged for accepting food scraps and selling compost products.

It engages communities – participants become invested in diverting food scraps, paying better attention to preventing contamination that might harm the composting process, and gain knowledge about the overall benefits of compost. It also recognizes and supports the important role that farms play in rural communities and local food systems.