The Practical Biochar Implementation webinar series is part of a project supported by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in partnership with USDA Agricultural Research Service, US Biochar Initiative, American Farmland Trust and others. The webinar series is designed to provide practical information to biochar users, producers, and other stakeholders.

The series will include 8 webinars and 4 virtual panel discussions. Topics will range from management of biochar amendments in cropping systems to biochar production and characterization to the national expansion of the Pacific Northwest Biochar Atlas decision support tool. A complete schedule will be posted soon and the series will conclude in 2025.

Webinars:

Intro to Biochar and Production Technologies: Tom Miles (US Biochar Initiative) introduces the basics of biochar and the various technologies and methods of biochar production. The webinar also frames how biochar has the potential to be a powerful tool in the soil health and climate-smart toolbox for agriculture.

The 3 R’s of Biochar Application: Dr. Kristin Trippe (USDA-ARS) presents the “3 Rs” of biochar application: the right biochar source, the right application rate, and the right placement in soil. The webinar reviews the use of online decision support tools to maximize the benefits of biochar application.

Biochar Use in Annual and Perennial Crop Production: Dr. Debbie Aller (Cornell University) shares practical insights and impacts of biochar use in annual and perennial crop production. The webinar also provides a literature review of the latest science in maximizing biochar’s potential under different constraints.

Considerations for Biochar in Beef Cattle Systems: Dr. Andrea Watson (Concordia University, Nebraska) discusses biochar applications in beef cattle systems, and compares systems with and without biochar to assess soil health, animal productivity and comfort, and carbon sequestered, as well as other factors.