The fate of manure-borne pathogen surrogates (gfp-labeled Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listera innocua and avirulent Salmonella Typhimurium) in the field was monitored at both sub-surface (30 cm from surface) and surface sites of static composting piles (3.5-m base diameter) composed of chicken litter and peanut hulls. Despite exposure to elevated temperatures, Salmonella was detected by enrichment culture in sub-surface samples following 14 days of composting. In surface samples, pathogen surrogates were detected in the summer after 4 days of composting by enrichment culture only, whereas E. coli O157:H7 and L. innocua remained detectable by direct plating (>2log(10) cfu/g) up to 28 days in piles composted during the fall and winter. All three types of bacteria remained detectable by enrichment culture in surface samples composted for 56 days during the winter. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.