Agrecalc’s latest Soil Carbon Module, now part of the Agrecalc Cloud platform, brings significant improvements for enhanced accuracy and usability. Together with major upgrades to the calculator in the past two years, and with the ongoing migration of our users, this step marks a further commitment to solidify Agrecalc’s position as the user-centric, independent, and leading carbon calculator in the market.
Following extensive improvements and testing within Agrecalc Cloud, the Soil Carbon Module is live as of today. In response to valuable user feedback, the new module now features improved calculations and additional data fields, ensuring farmers and agricultural advisors have an accurate and reliable tool to estimate their soil carbon dynamics.
The upgraded Soil Carbon Module addresses inconsistencies reported by a select group of users last year, who noted overestimated values in soil carbon projections, namely those associated with grassland management practices in some grassland systems / pasture soils.
In response, Agrecalc temporarily paused access to the module, allowing our team to improve its accuracy and reliability.
“Agrecalc has always been committed to providing our users with tools they can trust,” says Scott Davies, Agrecalc CEO. “The feedback we received allowed us to make necessary corrections to the module and introduce new input requirements to enhance data quality. We’re confident this will result in more accurate soil carbon assessments moving forward.”
To further improve the user experience, Agrecalc conducted a thorough review of user needs, which revealed a preference for specific numerical data output rather than qualitative summaries.
With this in mind, the new module will be more quantitative, equipping users with precise metrics for informed decision-making.
“The feedback we received allowed us to make necessary corrections to the module and introduce new input requirements to enhance data quality. We’re confident this will result in more accurate soil carbon assessments moving forward.”
The Agrecalc Soil Carbon Module calculates changes in soil carbon levels based on multiple variables, including historical and current soil management practices. By tracking historical and current data, users can see the predicted impact of practices like cover cropping, reduced tillage, and organic matter inputs on soil carbon levels.
With the new data fields, users can now provide more comprehensive information, leading to a refined calculation of their soil carbon status over time. This should enable optimising of management practices to improve soil condition, increase carbon sequestration, and reduce overall emissions.
The module is designed to offer insights for a range of users, from farmers interested in monitoring their soil health, to consultants working on carbon assessments. By incorporating historical management data, users can obtain a clearer understanding of how past practices impact current soil carbon levels and what actions might contribute to future improvements.
“The module is intended to be a decision-support tool rather than a definitive carbon offset calculator. Users should approach the data as an estimate of carbon changes over time rather than a substitute for direct soil sampling."
The module is now available to all users who toggle the appropriate button in Agrecalc Cloud.
This tool is intended for anyone in agriculture who is seeking to understand and improve the carbon balance of their soil. Farmers, land managers, and environmental consultants will find the module valuable for tracking soil carbon as part of broader sustainability efforts.
Users also have the option of inputting direct measurements of soil carbon where they have correctly sampled and analysed their soils. This extra data is crucial to accurately depict changes in soil carbon stocks and to support more effective carbon planning.
“Science is the backbone of our work at Agrecalc,” says Dr Rachael Ramsey, Head of Science and Research at Agrecalc. “This relaunch reflects our commitment to integrity and accuracy, as we have rigorously tested and refined the Soil Carbon Module to provide more precise estimates and respond to the needs of our customers.
“The module is intended to be a decision-support tool rather than a definitive carbon offset calculator. Users should approach the data as an estimate of carbon changes over time rather than a substitute for direct soil sampling.
“As the science underpinning measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) advances, our calculator now has the flexibility to evolve and reflect those methods and practices.”
It is essential for users to recognise that soil carbon levels are influenced by multiple, often complex factors. While the new Soil Carbon Module offers more accurate assessments, the variability of soil types, climates, and management practices means that users should interpret results within the context of local and farm-specific data.
Agrecalc advises users to view the output as a part of their ongoing carbon assessment strategy, which may benefit from periodic recalibration as practices and environmental conditions change.
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Agrecalc, the leading independent farm carbon calculator, is proud to announce a new collaboration with Black Bull Biochar to introduce a cutting-edge biochar module within its platform.
Funding has been granted for five separate consortia of research organisations, that will carry out cutting-edge research into the interlinking themes of soil health, agricultural systems and land use change.
Agrecalc is involved in two of the five topics.
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