Letter from the Executive Director

In recent months, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many people across the biochar sector — biochar producers and equipment manufacturers, researchers, policymakers, carbon market players, and many who are just getting started. The steady influx of newcomers is a clear sign that the field is growing. Across al these conversations, two things have been consistent: a shared enthusiasm for biochar’s potential and a commitment to growing this sector. It's also clear that the industry needs a unifying force — one that can guide the development of standards, provide trusted leadership, and help this community grow. That’s the role USBI continues to grow into. 

We’re working hard to rise to the challenge by building the tools, knowledge, and standards needed to support the sector's growth. Currently, among many other things, we're developing a guidance manual for the use of biochar in stormwater management, planning Train the Trainer events to provide education on biochar as a soil amendment, and continuing the development of key standards for the analysis and application of biochar. 

Stormwater management:

Together with the Center for Watershed Protection, one of the most respected NGOs in the United States water quality sector, we're developing a practical guidance manual for biochar use in stormwater systems. It will include both the technical basis for biochar use and clear instructions for using biochar in key stormwater management practices like bioretention and green roofs, so that stormwater professionals can confidently include it in their projects. 

Agriculture: 

We’re organizing Train the Trainer events to provide in-person biochar training for Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff and others that support farmers — including Conservation Districts, Cooperative Extension, crop advisors, and State Departments of Agriculture. Our first training is scheduled for this fall in California, with more to follow across the country. These events will be supported by videos and online learning tools that will be available through the Biochar Atlas website. By increasing awareness and understanding of biochar, we hope to enlist agricultural professionals across the country to help spread the word. 

Standards Development:

We’re advancing the American National Standard (ANSI) for the Analysis of Biochar, a key standard that will help ensure that laboratories are using the same, standardized analysis methods. We are also working on a new effort to develop an American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard for Biochar in Concrete, which we believe represents a key step in growing robust demand for biochar in the concrete industry. 

With so much progress underway, it's undeniable biochar is entering a new phase of growth across multiple sectors. But this momentum doesn't happen in a vacuum. The progress takes shared knowledge, collaboration, and space to connect. That’s why the 2025 North American Biochar Conference will be a pivotal gathering for the entire sector. The timing is just right to make big moves for biochar. 

Myles Gray
Executive Director