Bio Char

Biochar incorporated into soil can act as an extremely stable conditioner and fertility enhancer. It does not decompose like compost, but stores Carbon for hundreds of years.

Ancient civilizations in the Amazon Basin utilized biochar (also known as terra preta or black soil) to sustain soil fertility. Biochar is not a silver bullet but it is an important tool to addressing soil degradation, sustainable energy generation and waste conversion.

Biochar can be applied in animal husbandry to control odors and improve the nutrient retention in manure waste.

Biochar serves as a sorbent for removing gaseous pollutants, such as, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. In the confined spaces of many farm buildings, high levels of ammonia can be a hazard to animals. Ammonia is also linked to the respiratory problems in humans. In the environment, ammonia can damage terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Reducing ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions from livestock facilities is an important issue for livestock producers.

The backside of Holstein dairy cows. Farmers mechanically (with a tractor) scrape away the mixture of feces and urine excreted on the floor every morning.

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.