The American Biochar Institute (ABI), an organization focused on developing end-use markets and standards for biochar, has partnered with the US Biochar Coalition (USBC), a trade association, to co-host the 2026 North American Biochar Conference (NABC) in New Orleans, Louisiana, November 16–18.
In late March 2025, ABI and USBC participated in dozens of meetings with House and Senate offices and federal agencies in Washington DC, where talks confirmed a shift from awareness to implementation in federal policy and programs.
Policy dialogues centered on Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and US Forest Service (USFS) grant and incentive programs, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) evolving regulatory framework for biochar production and application.
While USBC focused on policy, ABI engaged with government agencies about standards and biochar end-use markets.
These conversations will carry forward into the 2026 North American Biochar Conference, where policy advocates, producers, end users, and other stakeholders across the industry will shape the next phase for the biochar ecosystem.
We’re proud to partner with USBC on the upcoming conference. We see this as an opportunity to bring our organizations closer together and accelerate the growth of the biochar sector in North America. In this collaboration, our work complements each other — ABI will focus on standards and markets, and USBC will keep pulling on policy levers, said Myles Gray, Executive Director of ABI.
The 2026 edition of the annual North American Biochar Conference will take place in New Orleans over three days to convene leaders from across the biochar ecosystem, including policymakers, farmers, engineers, researchers, and corporate stakeholders.
The agenda will reflect biochar’s growing role in markets and policy, with sessions focused on end-use applications, standards, and pathways for scaling adoption through public and private investment.
We are thrilled to partner on the North American Biochar Conference. This collaboration comes at a time of incredible synergy between our organizations as we work to build a unified industry and to break down those silos. The NABC serves as the essential hub for biochar innovation and cross-sector collaboration. By fostering this environment, we are capturing the true momentum of our industry and providing the structured, collaborative roadmap necessary for professionals to scale their impact, said Maureen Walsh, Executive Director of USBC.
