Potential Markets for Vermiculture
and Vermicomposting Operations

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By Rhonda Sherman

Vermiculture is the process of breeding worms. Growers usually pay for their worm feed, and the worm castings (manure) are often considered a waste product.

Vermicomposting is the process of turning organic debris into worm castings. Operators use a wider variety of feed stocks and make money on tipping fees and sales of castings or vermicompost. The worm population usually remains stable.

Vermiculture - Worms can be sold to the following markets:

  • Bait and tackle shops

    For Bait Containers call:
    The Wholesale Bait Company 800-733-2380 or
    FABRI-KAL/ADAIR & COMPANY 810-632-6830
    www.baitpackaging.com

  • For green dye call:

    PRESTO DYECHEM Co., Inc. at 215-627-1864

  • Large-scale vermicomposting facilities

  • Worm growers just entering the business

  • Institutions and businesses that do on-site vermicomposting of their food scraps and other organic materials (includes prisons, hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, restaurants, grocery stores, office buildings, etc.)

  • Farmers desiring to vermicompost animal manure (including livestock and poultry farms, rabbitries and horse stables)

  • Composters, organic gardeners or fisher people wanting to raise worms for their own use

  • Growers with orders too large to fill from their own stocks

  • Private laboratories, universities, and high schools for research and classroom needs

  • Businesses that need worms as food for animals:

    Fish hatcheries

    Zoos (w/ exotic fish and birds)

    Pet stores

    Tropical fish stores

    Game bird breeders

    Poultry growers

  • Industries with organic wastes suitable as feedstock for worms:

Landfill diversion sites

Wineries

Canneries

Slaughterhouses

Food processors

Cotton Mills

Cardboard manufacturers

Breweries

Land reclamation sites

Generators of sludge/bio-solids

Vermicomposting

Sell vermicompost in bulk (by cubic yard) or bagged in a variety of compost and soil blends to the following:

      Home improvement centers

              Discount houses

              Flower shops

              Landscape contractors,

              Greenhouses

              Nurseries

              Garden supply stores

              Grocery chains

              General public

Sell "worm tea" or liquid organic fertilizer (liquid run-off that has passed through vermicompost)in bulk to:

Orchards

Nurseries

Greenhouses

Landscapers

Retailers (who will bottle it for resale)

 

This article is from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

© 2008 Happy D Ranch
Images and articles that are not Happy D Ranch originals have been used by permission.