Agoro Carbon Alliance partners with farmers and ranchers to implement sustainable agricultural practices that improve soil health and sequester carbon, turning these efforts into certified carbon credits. Their goal is to provide both environmental benefits and financial rewards for producers. They offer support from agronomists throughout the process, ensuring the carbon credits meet high standards and are connected with businesses seeking to meet climate goals. Agoro operates across the U.S. and Brazil, with a strong focus on large-scale, science-based carbon capture.
The project developer has hired us to carry out large-scale, science-based soil sampling on a 90,000-acre ranch in eastern Montana for a carbon project under the Verra VM042 methodology. This baseline phase involved precise measurements to establish initial soil carbon levels, essential for tracking carbon sequestration over time.
The goal of this collaboration is to introduce a faster, more cost-effective method of baseline soil carbon sampling. By doing so, it empowers farmers and ranchers to participate in carbon projects more efficiently while significantly contributing to environmental sustainability. This project supports both companies’ broader mission of fostering a resilient, carbon-focused agricultural sector, helping to create a more sustainable future through enhanced soil health and carbon sequestration efforts through soil insights democratization and actionability.
Due to the scale of the project, it was crucial for the client to establish protocols and conduct all fieldwork in a manner that ensured both a robust chain of custody and the project’s economic viability. Unlike traditional carbon measurement methods with a flat cost structure, our customized project allowed for a gradual reduction in costs per data point throughout the project’s lifespan.
Agoro Carbon Alliance faced the challenge of accurately and efficiently measuring soil carbon across a vast 90,000-acre ranch in eastern Montana, a critical first step in their carbon project under the Verra VM042 methodology. To ensure the project met the highest scientific standards, they needed a partner capable of executing precise, large-scale soil sampling. The baseline data collected during this phase would serve as the foundation for generating high-quality carbon credits, requiring expertise in both advanced sampling techniques and large-scale project coordination.
To meet the project’s rigorous demands, we deployed our own team of soil sampling specialists, who worked on-site seven days a week for four weeks. With 1,421 sampling points across the ranch, the team collected four soil samples per point—resulting in 6,000 total samples, split evenly between bulk density and soil organic carbon (SOC) measurements. Using specialized probes, we measured soil at two depths (0-6 inches and 6-12 inches), ensuring precise and accurate data for future carbon sequestration monitoring. The samples were then sent to Ward Laboratories for comprehensive analysis, ensuring the project met its scientific and environmental goals.
This collaboration between Agoro Carbon Alliance and our team not only achieved the goal of accurately measuring soil carbon across a large-scale, 90,000-acre ranch, but also laid the foundation for the generation of high-quality carbon credits. By employing a customized, scalable approach, we were able to reduce costs per data point over the project’s lifespan, ensuring both the economic viability and scientific integrity of the project. As a result, Agoro Carbon Alliance is well-positioned to further its mission of fostering sustainable agricultural practices while contributing to global carbon reduction efforts. This project exemplifies how innovative solutions in soil sampling can support the scaling of carbon capture initiatives, providing long-term benefits for both the environment and the agricultural sector.
Better data for smarter decisions & precise actions in the field.
