Outside barns emissions can occur during manure storage, composting and field application. Reducing the amount of ammonia being emitted from dairy farms is a complex endeavor. Farms, after all, are economic enterprises and solution need to meet the bottom line.

All organic matter added to soil improves various soil functions, not the least is the retention of nutrients. What is special about biochar is that it is much more effective in retaining most nutrients and keeping them available to plants than other organic matter such as leaf litter, compost or manures.