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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 Co. at 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)
By Rhonda Sherman
This article is from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
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Last modified on April 3, 2006.