U.S. Composting Council

December 6, 2012

Million TomatoCompost Campaign

The Million Tomato Compost Campaign!

National campaign to introduce Americans to the value of compost by:• Connecting the benefits of compost to sustainable, local food• Engaging sustainable chefs• Growing a million tomatoes in compost for food banks• Donating compost to community gardens

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Our Compost Messages

• Grows healthier, bigger plants

• Builds healthy soil

• Replaces chemical fertilizers

• Holds water, reduces runoff

• Local, sustainable product

Campaign PartnersNational Chef/Spokesperson• Nathan Lyon

Local Chefs• Collaboration with organizations such as Chef’s

Collaborative, Slow Food USA

Community Gardens• American Community Gardening Association, American

Public Gardens Association

Food Banks• Ample Harvest – online matching service for gardeners +

food banks

How Does the Campaign Work?

• STA certified producers sign on to donate compost to community gardens

• Community gardens sign up to participate in Campaign, receive donated compost

• USCC promotes Campaign in national media and on social media

• USCC provides members with promotional toolkit, access to network of community gardens and chefs in local markets

• USCC members promote Campaign in local markets

• Members share your photos, videos and stories!

Spokesperson - Chef Nathan Lyon

• Author of “Great Food Starts Fresh”• Chef and co-host of Growing A Greener

World (PBS)• A Lyon in the Kitchen (Discovery Health

& Fit TV)• Guest chef/expert on Real Simple Real

Life and Home Made Simple (TLC)• Finalist on The Next Food Network Star• http://

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=euqVQxa-aXs

National Campaign LaunchMarch 2013

• National media stories

- Chef announces Million Tomato Compost Campaign - compost grows healthy food

- Challenge gardens to sign on to the Million Tomato Compost Campaign

- Urge gardeners to look for STA-certified compost to build healthy soil

- Kids plant tomatoes in compost

• Compost donations tracked & celebrated on compostingcouncil.org

• Social media outreach

Million Tomato Campaign ContinuesMarch 2013-June 2013

• Promotional toolkit provided to local partners

• Network of chefs available to participate in local events at community gardens

• Network of community gardens

• Local partners post photos of planting, donation, gardens and kids!

• Engagement with all local sites via social media, photo and videos

Million Tomato Campaign CulminationJuly 2013

National media stories• Stories on national TV morning show & in print media• Chef appears on morning show to announce the million

tomatoes, amount of compost donated• Kids bring tomatoes on the show, destined for food

banks• Describe how compost builds healthy soil, which grows

great tomatoes

Local media stories• Highlight compost donations, gardens• Emphasizes community involvement in sustainably

growing local food with compost

Social media

Tracking success

• Media stories

• Social media impressions

• Number of tomatoes grown

• Number of tomatoes donated to food banks

• Number of community gardens participating

• Quantity of compost donated

March

April

May

June

July

2013 TimelineLaunch CampaignStories in national mediaLocal events beginPush out campaign through social media

Continuing engagement on social mediaLocal partners promote via local media

Local partners promote via local mediaContinuing engagement on social media

Local partners promote via local mediaContinuing engagement on social media

Campaign culminationPush out campaign through social mediaStories in national & local media

How to Participate in the Campaign

• Use the Campaign logo and web button

• Issue a press release about the Million Tomato Compost Campaign, your participation, and the benefits of compost

• Promote the campaign through social media- Re-tweet & post USCC Facebook messages, and those of chefs, campaign

partners, other USCC members, and media stories

• Set up a cooking demonstration at your local community garden

• Promote the Million Tomato Compost Campaign at your retail location through signage, a compost giveaway, a compost use demonstration, a speaker, or other special event

• Hold a public planting event at your local community garden and invite the media

USCC Member Marketing Kit

• Template press releases announcing Million Tomato Compost Campaign

• Fact sheet about Campaign and STA-certified compost• Campaign logo and tagline• USCC website• Million Tomato Compost Campaign web button linking

to campaign site• Tips for growing in compost• Chef-authored recipes for healthy kid-friendly food

grown in compost