Integrating Agronomics and Sustainability

Carbon Accounting Post Series, Part 3 of 3
Written by Lars Dyrud

In the first two posts in our series, we talked about carbon in our food supply chain and the value of optimal soil health. In this final installment we turn to the practical side, talking about how to apply management practices and product adoptions to increase both profitability and your carbon-related returns.

Why One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work

Every field is different. Some soils respond dramatically to practices like cover crops or biological inputs, while others won’t benefit much at all. Applying a one-size-fits-all approach wastes money and misses opportunities.That’s why precision is key.

Through soil testing, we can build a field-specific roadmap for optimizing soil health and enhancing carbon removal. This ensures the right products are applied where they’ll have the greatest impact. With a targeted plan, it’s possible that we can triple a field’s carbon removal rate.

A Real-World Example

Consider soil biology. Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a critical role in nutrient exchange between the soil and plants, while boosting a soil’s carbon storage capacity. When a field is deficient of AMF, it can lose yield potential and miss out on tons of carbon sequestration per acre.

In one case, EarthOptics TruBio testing revealed such a deficiency. That customer applied an AMF seed coating to half of their field to run a trial on effectiveness of both the analysis and the product. By harvest, yields on that treated section were 20 bu/ac higher. This is the power of combining data with action.

The Big Picture

When it comes right down to it, soil isn’t just dirt under our feet. It’s the foundation of our climate strategy, our food supply, and trillions of dollars in untapped value. With the right measurements and practices.

• Beef can be produced at carbon-neutral levels.
• Farms and ranches can transform into net climate solutions.

At EarthOptics, we’ve already measured more than 5 million acres of soil across the U.S., and we’re just getting started. The future of agriculture is one where agronomics and sustainability are not competing goals but aligned strategies that build profitability and climate impact together.