Association Partners with US Biochar Coalition

Facing a mounting problem of what to do with growing stocks of agricultural biomass, the Association is excited to announce an official partnership with the U.S. Biochar Coalition (USBC). With the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and falling commodity prices, agricultural biomass from orchard and vineyard removals are at an all-time high. Our members need solutions, and those solutions need to be practical and field-tested pathways forward. Resolving this bottleneck requires deep sector knowledge and aligned leadership to move the needle on agricultural biomass utilization. This led the Association to the USBC, who is working to turn crop residues into durable soil amendments that improve water efficiency, enrich soil health, and support grower resilience.

According to Maureen Walsh, Executive Director for the USBC, “Turning one of agriculture’s biggest operational hurdles into a long-term asset is at the heart of our mission. We are extremely thankful for this collaboration and excited to see how it evolves.” From the Association perspective, Association President/CEO Roger A. Isom, commented, “The problem is not just growing, it is exploding!  Just like we have done with air curtain burners, we must seek every solution possible. Two of our almond huller members have biochar operations co-located at the huller looking at ways to utilize their waste. This effort led us to the USBC and we are very excited by this partnership and we look forward to the fruits of this alliance!”