This session at the Bio Economy Summit features two place-based case studies, the Kansas City metro area (KC) and California’s San Joaquin Valley, working to transform organic materials from a disposal challenge into an engine for economic growth. To integrated systems can move materials up the value hill, from food recovery and composting to renewable natural gas (RNG), black soldier fly (BSF) protein production, and other emerging bio-based products, with a focus on where the highest value can be created, as well as the opportunities and challenges of planning for industrial symbiosis.