To inform and educate a wide variety of communities (including small farmers) about the advantages of bio-converting food waste into a nutritious animal food. This will be accomplished through educational presentations and booths at local events. Through this educational role, WNC G.R.U.B.S. will also provide the opportunity for the public to purchase ready made units at a low cost. This will allow more people the opportunity to bio-convert food waste with black soldier flies in an easy and productive technique. This in turn, both reduces organic material being sent to the landfill and decreases the amount of methane pollution (a major greenhouse gas) produced by decomposing organics.

We also accomplish a larger scale bio-conversion through maintaining an indoor year round black soldier fly (BSF) population to consume discarded pre-consumer food waste. We feed the non- consumable food, including meat and dairy, to BSF larvae (non-pest fly) who transform it into a high protein, fat, and mineral rich animal feed. The larvae and pre-pupae may be used as supplemental feed for farm animals (e.g. poultry, pigs, fish), native song birds, reptiles, amphibians and other protein eating animals. Additionally, the by-products (frass and “Grub tea”) can be used as plant fertilizer, ideal worm “food” or a soil amendment in the garden

Personal benefits for bio-converting food waste with black soldier flies:

• Quick break down of food waste (24 to 36 hours) before waste starts to rot/smell
• Can put both meat and dairy products into bio-conversion bin (unlike either worm bin or compost pile)
• Mature larva will self-harvest and no need to touch waste materials
• Mature larva are high protein, fat and calcium feed for songbirds, chickens, pigs, reptiles, amphibians, fish, etc.
• “Grub tea” for plant fertilizer
• Resultant small amount of frass and other materials are ideal worm “food” or a soil supplement in the garden.
• Savings on supplemental feed for native songbirds, farmed animals (e.g. poultry, pigs, fish), reptiles, amphibians, and other protein eating animals.

Environmental benefits:

• Reduce the food waste/ organic waste going to the landfill (thus reducing methane going into the atmosphere – a major greenhouse gas)
• Reduce the pressure on the oceans by lowering fishing pressure for fish needed for many animal feeds.