The new Land Sector and Removal Standard (LSRS) and EarthOptics

Direct measurement is no longer optional

The recent release of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Land Sector and Removals Standard (LSRS) in January 2026 confirms what many of us have expected for some time: if companies want to claim carbon removals within agricultural supply chains in their Scope 3 inventory, they will need empirical data, and must re-sample at least every five years.

This is a positive development for the nature-based solutions space, which has seen some controversies over the past few years regarding proof of permanence and issues with intervention accounting methodologies. Clear standards and higher rigor protect everyone. They reduce the risk of greenwashing claims. They reduce the likelihood that carbon credits or removal claims will be later overturned. They build confidence in agriculture and working lands as climate solutions and carbon sinks. Lastly, they help ensure that reported climate impacts reflect what is actually happening in the field.

The risk of avoiding soil sampling

For years, many companies have dismissed direct soil measurement as too expensive or too complex to manage operationally. As a result, some have relied heavily on models or digital-only approaches to estimate and account for soil carbon change, if at all.

Even before the LSR Standard, this approach left potential Scope 3 removal claims on the table.

Now, the stakes are higher. Claiming removals without direct soil sampling presents real reputational risk. Modeling-only approaches carry too much risk and are not aligned with the recent GHGP guidance. Companies need a clear path to reporting that includes direct measurement at competitive prices.

Claims that models perform well for baseline carbon stock measurements do not guarantee that these same modeling-only approaches will hold up at re-measurement. Soil carbon accounting is long-term, and the goal is to accurately measure the delta, not just the baseline. Without adequate baseline measurements, uncertainty at true-up can easily erase any claimable carbon stock gains. Companies that cut costs today by skipping soil sampling or not sampling densely enough may find that their reported removals cannot withstand scrutiny later. This represents both reputational risk and a missed opportunity.

A practical path forward

Often, cost is cited as the main reason for not taking soil samples within a project. Customers may choose a modeling-only approach because they believe they can get results without incurring that additional cost. However, direct measurement does not have to be prohibitively expensive or complex.

EarthOptics, as the preeminent US-based soil sampler, provides soil measurement at scale and at competitive prices. Across millions of project acres, we have delivered results within budget for companies and clients in carbon offset programs and Scope 3 inventories. We help companies comply with LSR Standard guidelines while managing cost and operational realities.

Our approach leverages a large and growing soil database along with advanced stratification tools to design efficient sampling campaigns. This allows us to capture strong baseline data that positions companies to claim Scope 3 removals in their agricultural supply chains using inventory accounting methods aligned with the LSR Standard.

We also combine our measurement data in hybrid approaches that combine modeling with measurement. This enables year-to-year reporting while maintaining accurate, ground-truth measurements across the full project boundary.

Cropland and rangeland expertise

Many soil carbon efforts focus only on cropland. EarthOptics works extensively in both cropland and rangeland systems.

Rangelands cover approximately 600M acres in the USA alone; they represent a significant portion of our agricultural landscape and a significant carbon opportunity. Companies with beef, dairy, food, fiber, or grazing-based supply chains need partners who understand these systems and can measure them properly. We bring experience across all these areas, and geographic coverage in all the major US regions.

End-to-end control and auditability

EarthOptics operates a fully integrated software and laboratory system, including in-house labs. This is a big advantage that sets us apart from competitors in the space and helps ensure quality and auditability for our customers if claims come under scrutiny. This vertical integration gives us end-to-end tracking and control over our sampling and analysis processes, and we use technology to manage pricing while maintaining accuracy and rigor. In addition, we can offer cutting-edge carbon analyses in-house at commercial scale, including POM, MAOM, POXC, and MIR.

If future audits or re-measurement requirements arise, we maintain a robust digital record along with our soil data library with hundreds of thousands of samples to support your claims. We also offer long-term cold storage of collected baseline soil cores.

Looking Ahead to 2027

We are still awaiting follow-up LSR Standard guidance from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s team, expected in Q2 of 2026. Even so, the direction is clear: direct measurement will be part of accurately accounting for removals in agricultural supply chains.

The LSR Standard goes into effect on January 1, 2027.

Companies that begin measurement campaigns now will be positioned to make credible, compliant Scope 3 removal claims. These companies stand to benefit from carbon capture happening beneath our feet right now, and also insulate themselves from risk down the road. Those who wait may find themselves scrambling to retrofit systems that were not designed to meet the new standard.

Please reach out if you are interested in building a Scope 3 soil measurement campaign with EarthOptics: to date, we have successfully executed over 300 soil carbon programs across scope 3 and offsets, measuring 5 million acres. Whether you have a pilot project of 1000 acres, or a large scale 100,000+ acre project, we’re happy to chat through your specific needs and design the right program at the right cost.