Compost utilization in vegetable production

The United States ranks third worldwide in vegetable production, with more than 50 vegetable commodities grown commercially. There are no U.S. government restrictions on how and when compost can be used in vegetable production, except for compost derived from sewage sludge or biosolids. This chapter discusses compost U.S. government, state and county/city regulation, compost feedstocks sources, introduces compost quality guidelines and how and when to incorporate compost in vegetable production. Furthermore, the chapter reviews scientific data on the effects of compost and crop yields, develops the steps to successfully use compost and mentions how to prevent challenges in vegetable production.