Royal Bluff Orchards Partners with Qualterra to Enhance Soil Health and Orchard Productivity with Biochar Integration

an aerial view of royal bluff orchards in royal city washington usa
An aerial view of Royal Bluff Orchards in Royal City, Washington, USA.
July 25, 2024 – Royal City, Washington – Qualterra is excited to announce its integrated commercial and R&D partnership with Royal Bluff Orchards of Royal City, Washington. Royal Bluff Orchards has agreed to purchase and incorporate Qualterra’s high-quality agricultural biochar into the soils of their new apple plantings moving forward. Additionally, Qualterra’s team of plant and soil scientists will collect and analyze soil and plant data at Royal Bluff Orchards as part of its research and development activities. This collaboration underscores Royal Bluff Orchard’s unwavering commitment to regenerative farming practices, aligning perfectly with Qualterra’s mission to deliver products and services that provide growers with economic and environmental sustainability.

With more than 40 years in organic and regenerative farming, Royal Bluff Orchards has consistently sought innovative solutions to enhance the productivity and sustainability of their operations. By integrating Qualterra’s biochar into Royal Bluff Orchard’s soil management practices, they are taking a significant new step forward in their mission to improve soil health, increase crop yield, reduce watering requirements and sequester carbon. This partnership is not just a milestone for Royal Bluff Orchards but also for the broader agricultural community committed to sustainable practices.

Jim Jackson, CEO of Royal Bluff Orchards, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership: “At Royal Bluff Orchards, we are committed to advancing our organic and regenerative farming methods throughout our orchard operations. Integrating Qualterra’s biochar into our soil management practices will be significant in improving our soil health and increasing the productivity of our orchards. We are pleased to be aligned with Qualterra as they bring this solution for our growing operations today, yet in parallel, they are developing next-generation technologies through their R&D program. We’re excited to be tapped into their pipeline.”

Biochar, a stable form of carbon created through the thermal decomposition of agricultural biomass, has been lauded for its numerous benefits to soil health and crop productivity. Its integration into agricultural soils can significantly enhance soil fertility, sequester carbon, reduce water use, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Qualterra is at the forefront of producing high-quality, consistently formulated agricultural biochar. By working together, Royal Bluff Orchards and Qualterra aim to set a new standard in sustainable agriculture, demonstrating that economic and environmental benefits can go hand in hand.

Mike Werner, CEO of Qualterra, highlighted the alignment between the two companies: “We are thrilled to again partner with Royal Bluff Orchards in the Columbia Basin. Having the opportunity to work with the team at Royal Bluff on this project supports the mission of both companies to deliver innovative and sustainable agriculture products and science to the industry. The delivery of this first shipment of biochar equates to 18.6 tons of CO2 offset.”

About Qualterra

Qualterra is a sustainable agriculture technology company. Qualterra’s platform of commercialized technologies follow a plant life cycle from molecular plant testing and breeding support to propagation and nursery products through biomass waste processing and biochar production. Qualterra, headquartered in Washington State, USA, has three commercial facilities located in the main agricultural production area of the state. Learn more about Qualterra at: www.qualterraag.com.