Farmer-to-Farmer Biochar Education and Demonstration Sites for Improved Soil Health Through Application of Locally Generated Biochar

Briefly state the problem and why it matters: 

This project will offer local solutions to global challenges that include soil loss and degradation, nutrient and sediment loading in watersheds, and contamination of soil and water through chemical inputs. As regenerative agricultural practices are increasingly recognized for their capacity to mitigate these challenges, small to medium sized farmers are left to navigate the range of soil health building opportunities available to them, while working their farming operations with limited capacity and marginal income streams (Sawyer & Campbell, 2022). There is ample evidence demonstrating the role that biochar plays in improving soil health. However, purchasing it in meaningful volumes is expensive. Interest in generating biochar on-farm is challenged by a lack of knowledge, local experience, clearly understandable resources and access to affordable equipment.

Compelling evidence: 

Biochar has been identified as a key strategy for agriculture facing changing weather-related conditions (Huang et al. 2023). It is a carbon-rich amendment created by burning of organic feedstocks (e.g. wood) at high temperatures above 350 °C with minimal oxygen (Lehmann & Joseph, 2015). Biochar is well-known for its ability to simultaneously boost crop productivity, increase resilience to weather stressors, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (Huang et al. 2023). Yet, farmer adoption of biochar has been slow. Through a survey of 36 New York farmers, Sherman (2022) found that while the majority of farmers were familiar with biochar, and over half were interested in adopting it into their practices, only 17% used it on their farms. The major barriers to adoption were identified to be a lack of trusted, relevant information, inadequate access to funding, and a disconnect between farmers and available opportunities. These results are corroborated through anecdotal evidence and through the Compost for Good farmer intake form. 

While biochar can be purchased from large-scale, commercial operations, it is very expensive and not economically feasible for most small and medium-scale growers. Alternatively, farmers can produce their own biochar with local feedstocks, creating a closed system. On-farm and community generation of biochar is possible through low-cost processes such as Kon-Tiki flame curtain kilns (Schmidt et al. 2014), which have been found to produce  biochar with quality and yield comparable to commercial equipment (Jayakumar et al. 2023). However, building a kiln and generating biochar on-farm requires expertise and experience not currently available to NY North Country farmers. In addition, there are limited resources detailing appropriate methods of application specific to North Country soils. 

Proposed solution and how it meets the above need: 

This project will address the barriers to biochar generation and application identified above by providing Kon-Tiki biochar kilns to four local farms, along with one-on-one trainings on biochar generation and application. The trained farmers, in collaboration with the project team, will share their experiences through workshops for regional farmers. The project team will also develop educational resources that will be incorporated into existing toolkits of Compost for Good, the Composting Association of Vermont, and others to increase the accessibility of clearly understandable resources on biochar generation and application.

The resources developed, in combination with technical, on-farm support and nurturing of a farmer-to-farmer learning network, will increase familiarity with and confidence in the process of biochar generation and application. The resources and workshops will also increase recognition of the beneficial impacts biochar can have on soil health and overall farm viability. Purchase of the four kilns will increase demand, possibly leading to an increase in affordable options as other farmers become familiar with this model. 

How does it address the SARE impact statement: 

The project addresses each of the SARE impact statement outcomes. Environmental and health risks in agriculture will be mitigated through a non-toxic, locally generated source of soil health. Application of biochar can increase soil nutrient availability and suppress plant diseases (Joseph et al., 2021), possibly reducing the amount of chemical amendments and pesticides applied. This will result in less exposure to harmful chemicals and decreased non-point source water run-off issues.

Soil health will be protected by biochar applications, which can improve erosion control and soil water holding capacity (Lehmann & Joseph, 2015) while enhancing microbial diversity and activity (Zhang et al., 2018). Water quality will also be protected; biochar retains nutrients from fertilizers, substantially reducing leaching of nutrients, such as nitrogen, into waterways (Haider et al., 2020)

Productivity will increase through improved crop yields (Bai et al. 2022). Money will be saved by farmers through the reduced need for external amendments, given that biochar improves the nutrient supply efficiency of fertilizers (Joseph et al., 2021). Furthermore, the potential for additional income streams will be created through the sale of biochar or biochar-inoculated products such as compost. Enhancement of employment in farm communities will also increase with the potential addition of a new venture. Farmer families, employees and farming community quality of life will improve through all of the aforementioned outcomes.