Making soil carbon stack up — on-farm, in markets and in policy
Soil carbon is no longer a niche climate idea. It is fast becoming a core asset in Australian farm planning, supply-chain strategies and export market access.
The real question is no longer “does soil carbon matter?” - it’s “how do we make it stack up — agronomically, commercially and under evolving ACCU rules?”
Carbon Management Services (CMS) works at the intersection of science, farming, markets and policy, so soil carbon becomes part of an integrated, future-ready low-carbon strategy — not a one-size-fits-all project.
Why soil carbon matters now
For Australian landholders and agribusiness, soil carbon is simultaneously:
A productivity lever
Higher soil carbon supports better soil structure, water holding capacity and resilience — lifting pasture and crop performance through tough seasons.
A climate and sustainability tool
Storing atmospheric CO₂ in soils underpins credible net zero, nature-positive and supply-chain decarbonisation strategies.
A risk management strategy
Better soils mean into drought later and out of drought sooner — increasingly critical as climate variability intensifies.
A potential revenue stream
Where appropriate, ACCU-generating soil carbon projects can supplement farm income — but only when designed around your production system first.
Australia’s land, climate and farming systems give us a unique platform to lead globally in soil carbon — if projects are grounded in agronomy, integrity and market reality.
What’s changed in soil carbon projects
Since 2013, Australian farmers have been able to earn ACCUs from soil carbon. The 2021 Soil Carbon Method expanded eligibility across grazing, cropping and horticulture systems.
At the same time, scrutiny has intensified — from Canberra to international buyers.
Today, successful soil carbon projects must navigate:
Method evolution
Changes to eligible practices (including biochar) and how uplift is measured in complex, mixed enterprises.
Sampling expectations
More sophisticated — but still practical — soil sampling guidance from the Clean Energy Regulator.
Market architecture
How soil carbon fits into emerging supply-chain decarbonisation, Article 6 pathways and export-aligned claims.
On-farm reality
Labour, cashflow, seasonal risk and existing agronomic programs that soil carbon must complement — not compete with.
CMS tracks method updates, integrity debates and market signals so projects are designed to still make sense five to ten years from now, not just at registration.
Soil carbon is opening the door to a broader low-carbon opportunity
Soil carbon is no longer a standalone conversation. It is becoming part of a much broader low-carbon transition across Australian agriculture.
For landholders, agribusiness and supply chains, this means growing opportunities to:
Integrate emissions and removals into a single whole-of-farm strategy
Combine multiple methods and mechanisms as they emerge — rather than relying on a single pathway
Align with international market and integrity frameworks alongside Australian settings
Position farm businesses for future export, finance and sustainability requirements
CMS works with landholders to design low-carbon strategies that evolve as new methods, markets and international pathways develop — so soil carbon becomes part of a future-ready system, not a one-off project.
This approach allows farm businesses and supply chains to move with confidence as the low-carbon landscape expands — capturing opportunity, managing risk and staying ahead of change.
Want to know what’s possible on your farm?
Start with a Whole-of-Farm Carbon Opportunity Assessment. We’ll help you understand what methods might apply, what credits you could generate, and what’s realistic.