Turning trash into cash
Local entrepreneurs find success in worm farming

By CHARLES FERNANDES
Staff writer

HAYDEN -- Worm farming is becoming big business and Dave Monroe is ahead of the curve.

Three hundred and sixty-two days ago, Monroe sold his first fiberglass incubators. Through Vermi-plex, his home business in Hayden, Monroe has created a very successful and growing business from sales of 4 foot by 8 foot incubators and red worms.

The majority of Vermi-plex's revenue comes from brokering the worms to wholesalers throughout the country. A former boat builder, Monroe engineered and designed the incubators to digitally maintain the perfect environment to capitalize on the prolific breeding capacity of red worms.

A pound of the wriggling critters retails for anywhere from $20 to $30.

So far, Vermi-plex has sold more than 100 incubators to growers from Arizona to British Columbia and has become the largest worm growers association in the Northwest.

Worms are a Global business , according to Monroe.

"We are already shipping internationally to Canada and Guatemala," he said.

Growing recognition of vermicomposting -- using worms to consume organic garbage -- is the secret Vermi-plex's success. That and the fact that worm feces, called castings, are considered a premium organic fertilizer. Monroe markets the castings he brokers for growers at 75 cents a dry pound.

"Worm composting produces a very high quality product that is much richer in nutrients than regular compost," said Jack Macy, organic recycling coordinator for the city and county of San Francisco. "Composting is on the rise, particularly food composting in the residential and commercial sectors."

A national push to reduce the amount of solid waste entering landfills has spawned the composting craze.

In 1989, California passed a law requiring all cities and counties to cut solid waste streams by 50 percent by the year 2000. More than 24 other states have passed similar legislation.

During the last six years San Francisco's recycling program has sold more than 10,000 composting bins.
   
Last year the city subsidized citizen purchases of 500 worm composting bins, a figure it expects to duplicate this year. In addition, the program has helped set up institutional worm composting programs for cafeteria waste at eight schools.

The University of San Francisco has five worm composting boxes that utilize about 12 pounds of worms to the box, according to Macy.

Commercial scale vermicomposting is also growing in the Sunshine State.

"I know of two or three in Northern California," Macy said.

Those operations are each composting about 10 tons of organic waste a day, he said.

Demand for worms is not limited to the United States, according to Monroe.

Governments in Australia and New Zealand are starting to financially back vermicomposting programs as a way to promote recycling, according to an article in the July 1997 edition of BiCycle Magazine.
 
"That makes me happy because governments think this is a good thing," Monroe said.

Back in the United States, elementary school text books teach children the benefits and methodology of vermicomposting. While such efforts may ensure a growing customer base in the future, Monroe has found plenty of clients in North Idaho.

Vermi-plex sells kits complete with incubator, worms, as well as digital moisture and PH test units for $1,395 (now $2,395.00).

Fueled by shredded newspaper, peat moss, and organic garbage from apple skins to coffee grounds. Monroe says his customers can see up to $480 (now $800.00) a month per incubator.

Included on his customer list is the Idaho Division of Vocation Rehabilitation, which purchased two incubators to set up a business for an injured worker.

To qualify for the funding, the worker and his counselor had to conduct market research and develop a business plan, according to Gary Hamilton, agency regional manager.

Monroe has even secured customer financing for the kits from Norwest Financial in Coeur d'Alene, with approved credit, of course. But not before getting laughed out of three local banks following his vermicomposting presentation.

"People all want to make more money and people all make garbage." Monroe said. "Case Closed."