The Great Plains Biochar Initiative, a partnership of the Nebraska Forest Service, the Kansas Forest Service, and private industry, recently announced grant funding opportunities for developing biochar usage in the region.

Interest in biochar, a carbon-rich organic product, has increased substantially over the past several years. Biochar has multiple uses, ranging from soil amendment to water filtration. The biochar grants will provide up to $5,000 in funding for biochar production and use projects and are available to individuals, businesses and organizations.

“We are excited to see what kinds of creative projects people will develop,” said Heather Nobert, forest product marketing coordinator with the Nebraska Forest Service. “Currently, biochar is being incorporated into livestock operations, compost operations, and is being studied for its benefits to crop yields in Nebraska’s panhandle. The sky is the limit with biochar.”

With the challenges and pressures amongst Great Plains producers increasing, biochar is increasingly turned to as a low-cost option in addressing soil degradation and water retention, among other challenges.

Learn more about the grants. For additional information, contact Nobert at 402-782-1453.