The short answer. A soil carbon credit represents one tonne of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere and held in the soil: each tonne sequestered after greenhouse gas emissions are deducted, measured, independently verified and issued on a registry. UK farmers can sell them as offsets, or as insets to a buyer in their own supply chain. With Ecometric, credits are an optional step, not the starting point: every round of measurement is already done to full Registry standard, and registry submission is held back until there is direct demand for insets or offsets, so you are not paying for a carbon project you may not need yet.
Reviewed by David Wright, founder and CEO of Ecometric. Last reviewed September 2026.
How a soil carbon credit is made
A credit is only as good as the measurement behind it. Ours starts with real soil samples on every farm, analysed by dry combustion in an ISO-accredited laboratory, tied to satellite imagery at 100 readings a hectare. The change in soil carbon against the baseline is measured with the error stated, and the error is deducted in full before anything is reported. Only the carbon removal that can be evidenced becomes a credit, and a credit is issued for each tonne sequestered after greenhouse gas emissions are deducted, so every credit is a true removal. The detail is in how soil carbon is measured.
From measurement to sale, a project runs through six steps:
- Project design. The project is registered on the Regen Registry at inception.
- Transparency. Project documentation and data go on to a blockchain ledger, creating a chronological, transparent and immutable data trail for verification and audit.
- Independent review. Project data is reviewed for completeness and correctness by the Regen Registry.
- Third-party verification. Project data is independently audited by verifiers accredited to ISO 14065.
- Issuance. Credits are issued for each tonne sequestered after greenhouse gas emissions are deducted, and offered for sale. Projects can be aggregated geographically to pool larger credit volumes.
- Sale. Buyers purchase through digital platforms including the Regen Marketplace or over the counter.
Insets and offsets
An inset stays inside the supply chain that produced it. An offset is sold outside that supply chain, to an organisation compensating for emissions elsewhere. Both come from the same measured removals, each tonne sequestered after greenhouse gas emissions are deducted.
Why we hold registry submission back
We have separated measurement from reporting, so you are not paying for a carbon project you may not need yet. Soil carbon monitoring is the foundation of every tier. Emissions reporting is added when your supply chain asks for it. Registry submission is reserved for when there is direct demand for insets or offsets. That brings the cost of monitoring down while leaving the option to trade open.
Because every round is measured to full Registry standard whichever tier you are on, stepping up to a carbon project later is a decision rather than starting again. If a credit market opens that is worth your while, the measurement history is ready and compliant.
What the three tiers mean for credits
- 01 Measure: soil carbon monitoring. Annual measurement, field by field, against your own baseline, with the accuracy stated. You can start here.
- 02 Report: emissions reporting. Full IPCC Tier II emissions calculation, reported to SBTi and GHG Protocol standards, when your supply chain asks for it.
- 03 Access: credit origination. Registry-accredited project, with verified credits issued in your name for each tonne sequestered after greenhouse gas emissions are deducted, sold on your terms and commission-free.
Who stands behind the credits
Our methodology went through four rounds of independent scientific review to earn Regen Registry accreditation and its own credit class. It is audited by Carbon Direct and Nova-Cert, verified to ISO 14065 and rated by BeZero in the global top 30%. Credits from the Blaston Farm project, measured with our method, have been bought through Respira International by organisations including the drinks brand Dash and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One team.
Keep it in proportion
The measurement is the core value, allowing you to manage risk and reduce yield variability. Rising soil carbon reflects better structure, more water infiltrating and held, and more organic nutrients available to the crop. This is what will protect your yield and cashflow through the weather events that punish everyone else. A carbon credit is the cherry on top. We charge for the service and never take a commission on your carbon, so the timing and the terms of any sale stay yours.
Questions we are asked about soil carbon credits
Can UK farmers sell soil carbon credits?
Yes. Credits from measured, verified soil carbon removals on UK farms, one for each tonne sequestered after greenhouse gas emissions are deducted, are issued on the Regen Registry and sold as insets or offsets. With Ecometric that is tier 03, added when there is real demand. How many credits a farm can have depends on its soil and its emissions: see how much a farm can earn.
Do I have to sign up for credits to be measured?
No. You can start on Measure alone. Every round is measured to full Registry standard, so the option to step up to credits stays open without paying for registry work you do not need yet.
Who owns the credits and the data?
You do. Verified removals are issued in your name, for each tonne sequestered after greenhouse gas emissions are deducted, sold on your terms and commission-free, and your data stays yours: if you stop working with us, you take your baseline and every measurement with you.
How do I start?
Start with the measurement. Send us your SBI number and your hectares and we will send a written quote within two working days. Minimum project area is 150 hectares. Get a quote.
Part of our guide to soil carbon measurement for farms. Related: soil carbon testing for your farm · how the accuracy is stated · what sets the price · for buyers · how much a farm can earn · questions to ask a carbon scheme.
