Missouri Project Exploring Biochar to Help Organic Farmers with Soil Fertility

Scientists at the University of Missouri are testing the potential for biochar to improve soil fertility for organic farmers, with funding from a $960,000 grant from the USDA. “We want to help small- and medium-sized farms transition land that is not currently ready for organic farming into productive organic systems,” project leader Caixia “Ellen” Wan said. The project involves testing biochar from various agricultural feedstocks to determine the type that performs best, as well as experimenting with combining biochar with compost and beneficial microbes to improve soil fertility. The project is focused on vegetable crop production and will test biochar-based amendments in real-world conditions with local farmers.

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