The product
Rice hulls, pyrolyzed.
What it is, what the lab says, and why rice hulls in particular make a different amendment.
In short
Rice hull biochar is a stable, porous carbon material made by heating rice hulls in a low-oxygen process called pyrolysis. Added to soil it acts like a sponge and a scaffold: it holds water and nutrients, supports soil microbes, and stores carbon in your soil for hundreds to thousands of years. Rice hulls are naturally high in silica, so the finished material returns amorphous silica as well as carbon.
Specification
What the lab measured.
| Organic carbon | 40 to 45% |
|---|---|
| Silicon dioxide (SiO₂) | 48% |
| Surface area | 250 to 300 m²/g |
| H:C ratio | 0.30 to 0.50 |
| pH | 9.5 to 10.5 |
| Liming value | 7.7% CaCO₃ equivalent (Sample AR01-600C) |
| Electrical conductivity | 0.247 dS/m - low salt content |
| Bulk density | 11 to 13 lb/cu ft |
| Heavy metals | Below IBI thresholds |
| Application rate | 1 to 5 tons per acre (approximately 6 to 30 cubic yards) |
| Coverage | Roughly 100 acres in a single day, with bulk application |
| Applicable land | Any working land - row crops (rice, soybean, corn, cotton), pasture, forestry, specialty crops and turf |
| Region served | Nationwide. Freight distance affects cost, not eligibility - ask us about your location |
| Particle size | 45.0% under 0.5 mm · 50.8% from 0.5 to 1 mm · 3.9% from 1 to 2 mm · 0.3% over 2 mm |
Carbon and silica
Two things in one material.
Nearly 96% of the material passes 1 mm, which is why it broadcasts with standard equipment.
What the carbon does
Builds stable soil organic matter, improves aggregate stability and moisture retention, and adds nutrient-holding capacity (CEC) plus habitat for soil microbes. It persists in the soil long-term.
What the silica does
Rice hulls are naturally charged with silicon dioxide, in a plant-available form, contributing to improved water holding capacity and water use efficiency.
Built for southeastern soils
What it does to your soil.
A 'new-old' regenerative and organic tool
It raises organic matter, increases cation exchange capacity (CEC) to improve moisture and nutrient retention, strengthens aggregate stability, reduces water and heat stress on the plant, and builds drought and heat resilience. A newly found old tool - new since the Amazon, anyway, where farmers were building soil with char more than 2,000 years ago.
Accelerates your other practices
Nourishing Burn supports the transition to regenerative farming by improving soil structure - creating a healthier foundation that accelerates the impact of other regenerative practices like cover cropping, reduced tillage, and diversified rotations.
Organic standing
Nourishing Burn is certified organic under USDA National Organic Program (NOP) standards; OMRI certification is pending.
“One application of biochar puts seven to ten years of regenerative practice into the soil at once. I have not seen another practice that moves the ground that far in a single season.”
Merle Anders
Rice Agronomist and Conservationist
Tested by an IBI-certified lab.
Nourishing Burn is tested to evaluate key safety, stability, and agronomic properties relevant to field use. As shown in Control Laboratories IBI certification testing for Sample ID AR01-600C, heavy metal concentrations were reported below applicable International Biochar Initiative certification thresholds. These lab results support Nourishing Burn as a low-contaminant, stable carbon amendment suitable for agronomic review and conservation practice applications.
Source: Control Laboratories, IBI Report, Lab ID 4110253-01. Values shown are expected production ranges; individual lots vary.
What it looks like in the soil.
Common questions
Rice-hull biochar, answered.
See whether it fits your operation.
Tell us your county, acreage and where you are with NRCS, and we will come back with what USDA support you are eligible for.