New EQIP Practice Offers Incentive Payments for Biochar Applications

Advanced Agrilytics Can Streamline the Application Process

Growers now have an opportunity to improve soil health while accessing financial support through a USDA program designed to promote conservation practices. A recent addition to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), known as Practice 336 (the Soil Carbon Amendment practice), enables eligible growers to receive incentive payments for applications of soil carbon amendments such as biochar on their acres. This development represents an innovative step forward in sustainable farming.

Even better news – with help from Advanced Agrilytics and our partner CIBO Technologies, it’s never been easier for producers to apply for these benefits. In addition, through CIBO’s partnership with Stircor, eligible growers will receive biochar free of charge.

Understanding EQIP Practice 336 and Biochar’s Role

The EQIP Practice 336 is centered on the use of soil carbon amendments such as biochar. Biochar is a highly porous carbon material made from organic biomass waste such as sawdust, wood chips, and other plant materials. When applied to soil, biochar improves soil structure, enhances water retention, supports microbial activity, and reduces nutrient leaching. Its long-lasting impact on soil health makes it a valuable input for both short-term yield stability and long-term sustainability.

While biochar does not replace traditional crop inputs like nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizer, it does increase the efficiency and longevity of those inputs by helping retain nutrients in the root zone. These benefits are especially notable in lighter soils with lower organic matter, where nutrient loss and water availability often limit crop development.

Streamlining EQIP Applications with Advanced Agrilytics and CIBO

While EQIP offers a variety of promising financial incentives, the traditional application process can be complex and time-consuming for growers unfamiliar with federal conservation programs. This is where Advanced Agrilytics and CIBO Technologies play a key role in making the process less of a headache.

Through its partnership with CIBO, Advanced Agrilytics has access to the CIBO Impact platform. This is a digital tool designed to make the EQIP application process easier, faster, and more grower-friendly. The platform digitizes the entire EQIP workflow, reducing the number of in-person NRCS office visits needed to complete the application process, and streamlining the steps from field selection to contract execution.

Advanced Agrilytics has dedicated personnel on staff to help growers explore their eligibility for EQIP, navigate Practice 336 requirements, and use the CIBO Impact platform efficiently. This approach makes it easier to access available incentive payments for applying a soil carbon amendment. In addition, growers may qualify to receive free biochar from Stircor delivered directly to their farm.

Here’s what the whole process looks like:

Step 1: Apply for EQIP with Support from Advanced Agrilytics and CIBO

Advanced Agrilytics’ team will help growers through the application process using the CIBO Impact platform, which simplifies paperwork and expedites the application submission to the NRCS. The application will include Practice 336 (soil carbon amendments) and any related conservation practices such as cover cropping or nutrient management.

Step 2: Receive Agronomic Guidance

Once enrolled, growers receive agronomic guidance tailored to their operation, including recommendations on where and how to apply biochar to optimize agronomic and environmental benefits.

Step 3: Get Biochar Delivered

Through this program, the biochar product is delivered at no cost to the grower’s designated storage or field location, ready for application as outlined by their approved conservation plan.

Step 4: Apply Biochar According to NRCS Standards

Growers apply the biochar as specified in their NRCS conservation plan. Timing, method of application, and incorporation (if necessary) will align with guidelines to ensure the practice meets NRCS certification requirements.

Step 5: NRCS Certification of the Practice

After the biochar has been applied, the NRCS will conduct a field visit to verify and certify that the practice has been properly implemented according to standards for Practice 336.

Step 6: Receive Incentive Payment

Once the biochar has been applied and the practice has been certified by the NRCS, growers will receive a $200 per acre incentive payment for the acres where biochar was applied. Historically Underserved Farmers, which includes beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, and veteran farmers, will receive an enhanced payment of $400 per acre.

Ins and Outs of Using Biochar

From an agronomic perspective, biochar is best applied in the fall ahead of a legume crop such as soybeans, alfalfa, or clover. This timing reduces the risk of nitrogen immobilization, which is a common short-term concern during the first year after biochar is introduced to the soil. Because legumes naturally fix atmospheric nitrogen, they are less affected by any temporary reduction in available soil nitrogen.

Additionally, Practice 336 requires that a vegetation cover follow biochar application. For fall-applied scenarios, cereal rye is often the preferred cover crop because it can be planted later in the season than most alternative cover crops, which gives growers more post-harvest flexibility to complete field operations and still meet NRCS compliance requirements.

For spring, pre-plant biochar applications, the cash crop is considered to be the required “vegetation cover.”

Applying Biochar Products

Biochar is available in two primary forms for agricultural application: densified granules and raw, loose biochar. Each form requires slightly different equipment considerations to ensure uniform, efficient application and compliance with NRCS Practice 336 standards.

Densified Biochar Granules (Recommended for Ease of Application)

Densified biochar is processed into granules or pellets, giving it a consistency similar to dry fertilizer products. This form is compatible with common application equipment already used on most farms, including:

Spinner Fertilizer Spreaders (Broadcast Spreaders): These handle densified granules easily, allowing for uniform application across the field.

Airflow Applicators: Suitable for precise, controlled broadcast applications.

Box Drills / Grass Seeders: If combining biochar application with cover crop seeding, densified granules can often be included in the same pass.

Strip-Till and Precision Nutrient Placement Tools: Can accommodate densified biochar if blended with dry fertilizer products.

Raw (or Loose) Biochar

Raw biochar has a lightweight, fluffy, and irregular texture — similar to wood shavings or sawdust. It is more challenging to handle because it is prone to wind loss and uneven distribution if applied with standard fertilizer equipment. Recommended application equipment includes:

Chicken Litter Spreaders: Designed for lightweight, bulky materials. Horizontal beaters are required because the product is so lightweight.

Manure Spreaders (Solid, Not Liquid): Can work for more coarse, heavier raw biochar but are less precise than litter spreaders.

Lime Spreaders: May be used with variable success depending on material moisture and texture.

Vertical Tillage (VT) or Light Disk: Recommended post-application to incorporate biochar lightly and reduce wind loss.

Building Soil Health While Boosting ROI

For growers interested in long-term soil health and farm profitability, EQIP Practice 336 offers a compelling combination of agronomic benefits and financial support. Biochar applications help improve nutrient use efficiency, enhance water management, and increase resilience against drought and other stressors. These outcomes align closely with the mission of Advanced Agrilytics to deliver spatially precise agronomic recommendations that promote productivity and sustainability and improve overall soil health.

New EQIP Practice Offers Incentive Payments for Biochar Applications

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