TOLEDO, Washington — Thanks to a bill signed by Gov. Jay Inslee last month, Toledo-based agroforestry and conservation startup Rake Force can now use flame cap kilns to produce biochar. The legislation passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate. “It’s a big win for Rake Force and a big win for conservation efforts throughout the state,” Rake Force co-founder Jake Dailey said. A charcoal-like substance made from organic agricultural and forestry waste that is partially combusted with little to no oxygen, biochar is gaining popularity in agriculture as a soil amendment capable of improving soil health and sequestering carbon. …Rake Force has been making biochar out of cleared biomass on a small scale… but the state Department of Natural Resources did not distinguish flame cap kilns from burn barrels, making it impossible for Rake Force to apply for burn permits for larger production.