Federally-Funded Study to Investigate Agricultural Benefits of Hemp Cultivation and Biochar

The U.S. Department of Energy is funding a $5 million study investigating the agricultural benefits of hemp cultivation and biochar, a charcoal mixture similar to planting soil. The joint effort will include researchers from Western Washington University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the University of Connecticut,  and the six-year study will focus on soil health under the effects of biochar and rotations of hemp, wheat, corn, chickpeas, and other crops.

According to David Gang, the project leader and director of the WSU Center for Cannabis Policy, Research, and Outreach, “Hemp and biochar are potentially powerful tools for invigorating agricultural soils. Together, they might amplify each other’s effects.”

“We want to see how different combinations of hemp and biochar affect the entire cropping system over time and how beneficial these practices are for soil health.” — Gang, in a press release

The study will include soil analysis efforts by the private firm Yard Stick PBC, which is developing a spectrometer probe and learning models to measure different forms of carbon in the soil.

“Biochar’s role in the rapid, durable decarbonization of agricultural supply chains is very promising,” said Chris Tolles, Yard Stick CEO. “Our mission is to activate soils for climate and agricultural impact. We are thrilled to provide soil carbon measurement expertise to this innovative project and are grateful to the Department of Energy for their leadership.”