WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong farmer and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, reintroduced bipartisan legislation to study the effectiveness of biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass. U.S. Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) reintroduced the legislation for the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bipartisan Biochar Research Network Act would establish a National Biochar Research Network to test the impact of biochar across various soil types, application methods and climates to learn more about its capacity to benefit farmers and the environment.
“By investing in soil health research, we can help farmers, foresters, and producers make their working lands more resilient,” Heinrich said. “Our bipartisan legislation accomplishes this by directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to research the potential of biochar to enhance crop production, conservation, and soil carbon sequestration in varying soils and circumstances. This will allow producers to build more resilience into their operations and increase crop growth and yield.”
“Farmers rely on the latest advances in science and innovation to increase their crop productivity and advance soil health. Biochar presents an exciting opportunity for farmers looking for a low-cost way to improve soil quality while sequestering carbon. More information is needed to understand the benefits biochar could provide, and my legislation will facilitate much needed research into this potentially transformative tool,” Grassley said.
Under the legislation, the proposed National Biochar Research Network would work to:
Understand productive uses for biochar to help with crop production and climate mitigation;
Assess biochar’s potential for soil carbon sequestration; and
Deliver cost-effective and practical information to farmers on sustainable biochar production and application.
The full text of the legislation is available HERE.
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