The Carbon Chicken Project is redefining sustainable agriculture, turning environmental challenges into opportunities for improvement and creative solutions. By repurposing organic waste, the project not only betters soil health and plant growth but also implements carbon-negative farming practices that benefit both farmers and the environment.
At the core of Carbon Chicken is our soil amendment, composed of composted chicken litter and 20% inoculated biochar. This blend together works to maintain soil health, improve water retention, and support plant growth while sequestering carbon. However, the project’s vision extends beyond our product. Intending to reshape local and commercial agriculture, our team is laying the groundwork for a system that profitably converts organic waste into biochar and energy, turning a major environmental concern into a sustainable business model.
The Carbon Chicken Project’s core vision is to revolutionize the agriculture industry by creating a sustainable shift to Carbon Negative Farming Practices (CNFP) focused around profitably upgrading plentiful organic waste into biochar and energy, and to sell lucrative certified carbon-negative products to consumers, by building a Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Sequestration + Utilization (BECCS+U) system. These goals position Carbon Chicken as a leader in regenerative and carbon-negative farming.
One of the project’s most pressing challenges is mitigating harmful groundwater runoff in the Illinois River Watershed (IRW). The IRW is a vital watershed in Arkansas known for its rich biodiversity, recreational value, and economic importance. The health of this watershed is crucial to local communities, however, conventional fertilizers and discarded poultry litter pose a serious environmental threat due to runoff contamination. By repurposing poultry litter into an eco-friendly, nutrient-rich soil amendment, Carbon Chicken helps reduce water pollution and protect the watershed, offering a sustainable solution to local environmental concerns.
Co-founder Jody Hardin, a fifth-generation farmer, has spent over a decade researching biochar and its potential to revolutionize agriculture. His vision of creating the first carbon-registered project in the poultry and timber industry shows the project’s commitment to measurable environmental impact. Beyond our work in soil science and carbon sequestration, the Carbon Chicken Project is dedicated to education and community engagement. By demonstrating the practical applications of biochar and sustainable farming, the team hopes to inspire more farmers, researchers, and consumers to embrace environmentally friendly practices.
With Carbon Chicken and a bold vision for the future, the project is proving that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand. By upcycling waste into a resource, improving soil health, and reducing agriculture’s carbon footprint, this initiative is not just changing farming- it’s laying the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable food system. We are excited to share this vision with you and hope that you will join us in our mission for a more sustainable future in agriculture.
