Questions You Should Frequently Ask

(Before signing up for a Soil Carbon Project)

Soil carbon farming can be a powerful way to level up farm income while improving your land. But not all carbon projects — or developers — are built on solid ground.

This FAQ isn’t about selling you a dream. It’s here to help you ask the right questions before you commit.

Because too many landholders have been drawn in by glossy promises, only to discover hidden costs, unfair splits, and developers who vanish when the work gets real.

Because if the advice doesn’t come with experience, integrity, and muddy boots — it probably won’t hold when it matters.

1. Who takes on the project risk?

  • If soil carbon levels fall, who wears the consequences?

2. What are the true costs?

  • Is there really “no upfront cost,” or are they taking a cut of your ACCUs at a discount later?

  • Who pays for soil testing, audits, and ongoing monitoring, and what do they cost?

3. Will I get expert support?

  • Do they provide agronomic and scientific advice to help build carbon, not just manage the admin?

  • How do they help align the project with my farm’s goals and management style?

4. Who manages the paperwork and compliance?

  • Will I be responsible for meeting audit and legal obligations? Or do they handle that for me?

5. How much of the ACCUs do I actually keep?

  • Are ACCUs split fairly for what they offer?

  • Are you being asked to pay for services or project management costs with a portion of your ACCUs at a fixed price—before you know what they might be worth in the future?

6. How flexible is the partnership?

  • Is the project tailored to my land and operation, or is it one-size-fits-all?

  • Can I adapt the land management over time?

7. What happens if they underperform?

  • Can you exit the agreement if the developer isn’t delivering?

  • Do they still keep a share of your ACCUs even if you terminate the relationship?

  • What protections do you have if they don’t meet expectations?

8. What’s their track record?

  • What do other farmers say about them?

  • Do they have boots on the ground, or are they managing projects from a distance?

  • Do they understand how farming works, or are they just in it for the credits?

  • Do they have a solid, adaptive plan to build your soil carbon? Or are they relying on selling you a product to do it for them?

9. Do they have real scientific expertise?

  • Do they have experienced soil scientists on their team?

  • How will they help you actually build carbon, not just measure it?

  • Most developers have no soil science experience—yet building soil carbon is complex and requires deep technical knowledge. It’s not ‘traditional’ farming, and there is no silver bullet solution to soil carbon development.

10. Can you get to know them first?

  • Do they offer a way to test the relationship before committing to a 25-year agreement?

  • We strongly recommend starting with a pre-purchase product like a cost-benefit report — a low-risk way to assess both the partnership and whether carbon farming is viable on your farm.