The American BiocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More Institute (ABI) and the U.S. Biochar Coalition (USBC) have announced a formal partnership to co-host the 2026 North American Biochar Conference (NABC) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Scheduled for November 16–18, this event marks a significant collaboration between two primary United States organizations: ABI, which specializes in standards and end-use market development, and USBC, a trade association focused on legislative advocacy. This partnership follows a series of joint strategic meetings in Washington, D.C., where leaders from both groups engaged with federal agencies and congressional offices to move the industry from a state of general awareness toward large-scale implementation.

The primary challenge facing the domestic industry involves the historical fragmentation between policy advocacy and market standardization. While federal interest from the U.S. Forest Service and the NRCS has increased, the sector has often operated in silos, hindering the transition from experimental projects to broad regulatory acceptance. Furthermore, evolving EPA frameworks regarding production and application require a unified industry front to ensure that regulations support, rather than stifle, commercial growth. Without a synchronized roadmap, stakeholders struggle to navigate the complexities of public and private investment.

To address these systemic barriers, the ABI and USBC have integrated their respective expertise into a single collaborative platform for the 2026 conference. By aligning ABI’s focus on technical assistance and science-based standards with USBC’s policy-driven mission, the organizations aim to provide a comprehensive roadmap for industry professionals. The solution utilizes the NABC as a central hub to facilitate cross-sector dialogue between engineers, researchers, policymakers, and farmers. This joint effort ensures that market-ready standards are developed in tandem with the legislative “levers” required to fund and incentivize adoption.

The anticipated outcomes of this partnership include the gathering of approximately 1,000 professionals to shape the next phase of the North American biochar ecosystem. By consolidating resources, the ABI and USBC expect to accelerate the growth of the biochar sector and streamline the path for public and private investment. This unified approach is designed to break down organizational silos, leading to a more structured industry capable of reducing biomassBiomass is a complex biological organic or non-organic solid product derived from living or recently living organism and available naturally. Various types of wastes such as animal manure, waste paper, sludge and many industrial wastes are also treated as biomass because like natural biomass these More waste and supporting economic circularity. The conference will serve as the definitive venue for establishing the technical and political foundations necessary for scaling biochar impact across the continent.