A review of @USDA_NRCS's #soil #carbon amendment: Code 808. Questions and answers here:

• How does it work?
• Who can use it?
• Can I get paid to spread #biochar on the ground at my farm?
• Does it matter where I get the biochar?

THREAD

First things first - the link to Code 808: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b9362d89d5abb8c51d474f8/t/5e429f851f12287bd48c8e1a/1581424518098/CPS_808_SoilCarbonAmendment_Interim.pdf

Additional coverage from @wsuag here: https://foodsystems.wsu.edu/2020/05/19/calling-all-us-biochar-producers-and-farmers/

Code 808 is part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). What's EQIP?

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/eqip/

"The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased

soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against increasing weather volatility."

So Code 808 is part of that! And, from what I can tell, you apply via @USDA_NRCS local offices, and then go from there.

From the WSU article: "Hawaii, Oregon and New York have already adopted the Soil Carbon Amendment (808) conservation practice."

The program "... will allow farmers to receive cost share funds for using biochar and compost to increase soil carbon."

Overall, Code 808 covers compost, biochar, and "other amendments" (woodchips, etc). I'm just focusing on biochar for the time being.

Biochar rules:
• Must be 350C or higher.
• Must be tested and report Carbon, N, P, K and Ph levels
• Can't be made from crop residue.

While there are lots of other restrictions that consistent of essentially, "don't violate state, local or fed laws or EPA regs" a couple are interesting:

Don't apply to "....naturally low fertility sites (e.g. serpentine soils, sage steppe, alkali sink, or chaparral"

Ironically, this is where biochar would most dramatically change the soil.

Code 808 focuses on farmers:
Do not apply "To fields where a crop will not be able to utilize nutrients (e.g. to fallow land, or to a field without an existing or planned cover crop or cash crop.)"

A few other notes on biochar protocol:
• They recommend combining with compost.
• You can use biochar w/ the @Biochar_IBI seal to avoid additional testing/validation.
• Recommend biochar w/ great than 60% fixed C
• Recommend application when temps are lower than 50F.

In order to go through w/ all this, you need to contact you local NRCS office. Looks like: 1) develop a soil carbon amendment plant (purpose, field review including: soil test, drainage, pictures, amendment analysis, application plan, and then maintenance and evaluation.

So, want to use biochar as an amendment and get compensated via EQIP?

Find your local NRCS office: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?agency=nrcs

Check out the EQIP application here:
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/financial/eqip/?cid=nrcseprd1342638

Looks complicated? I'll call the local office up here and see if I can understand things better. Let's go!

Has anyone gone through this? I would LOVE to interview y'all! @trmiles - do you have people starting on a pilot via @USBiochar?

END THREAD