The first sessions of the Growing With Biochar program will take place December 8 and 10, in Sacramento and Parlier, California. This marks the start of a nationwide, on-the-ground, free training series designed by US Biochar Initiative (USBI), a not-for-profit focused on developing end-use markets for biochar in the United States, to equip agriculture professionals with the knowledge and tools to help farmers integrate biochar in their practices.
With a rise in input costs, increase in sustainability demands from food brands, ongoing effects from climate change, and policy uncertainties, farmers are under pressure to do more with less. Across the sector, farmers now turn toward local, circular, self-reliant practices that reduce waste, lower input dependence, and build resilience against climate and market risks.
Biochar is a carbon-rich soil amendment made from waste biomass — like crop residues or wood chips — that boosts soil health and stores carbon long-term. Regarding farmer concerns, it delivers on all fronts. Recent announcements like that of Cold Steppe’s upcoming $40 million Arkansas facility, built to turn local rice hulls into biochar, emphasize the rise of circular, regional soil solutions.
During the free, full-day training sessions in California, attendees will learn how to source, ship, and apply biochar using the “4R” principles (right source, rate, time, place), and how to help producers navigate state and federal cost-share programs such as the Healthy Soils Program and EQIP 336 Implementation.
Tera Lewandowski, the Director of Agricultural Markets at USBI, said, “This training is a first of its kind event, designed to close the critical gaps that have held back biochar adoption. Farmers and advisors often ask how and why to apply biochar, where to source it and how to handle it, and how to make use of cost-share programs. Our goal with this training is to provide clear, practical answers so that biochar can become a reliable tool for building healthier soils and more resilient farms.”
The sessions will feature trainers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cornell University, and American Farmland Trust, and are designed to expand biochar applications across agriculture.
Access the program’s informational sheet, agenda, and registration: https://files.constantcontact.com/be36d7fb501/11db2d2b-2f78-4d93-ae77-ae999608830f.pdf