Gulf Coast Agricultural and Seafood Co-Op (GCASC), is a non-profit first-of-its-kind facility turning seafood processing waste into fertilizer. The innovative LEED Gold plant is powered by self-generated methane biogas and solar energy. The Co-Op was formed by 23 local shrimp and crab companies having difficulty disposing of their seafood processing waste after their previous facility was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. As a result, Co-Op members were forced to pay high fees to haul waste 50 miles, burdening the Co-Op members, many of whom were also struggling due to the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill. The new facility provided Co-Op members with a cost effective and eco-friendly solution.