Soils are the largest terrestrial carbon store on earth. With the right management, their capacity to sequester and store carbon can be increased. Yet, while the potential is there, uncertainty remains as to how carbon sequestration can be credibly measured and accounted for in the supply chain.

The issues are complex for both dairy farmers and milk processors. A new report, from Kite Consulting, Soil Carbon Matters aims to highlight the considerations for both groups and provide readers with the knowledge to reap the sustainability benefits, when the time comes.

 "There is no doubt that healthy soils are vital to farming's productivity, resilience and climate impact," says the report's author Helen Dent, Sustainability Lead at Kite Consulting. "Yet questions remain around how long carbon is stored in the soil, how much additional carbon can be sequestered, how to accurately monitor and understand soil carbon levels as well as exactly who 'owns' carbon credits.

 "Many companies in the UK food supply chain, including supermarket retailers and dairy processors, have adopted Science-based Targets (SBTIs), committing them to reduce emissions from food production and distribution. For companies that have significant volumes of agricultural products in their supply chains, the standard recognises the potential to balance emissions produced with the sector's ability to also remove emissions," she adds.

 "This means the conversation and clarity needed to consistently account for carbon removals in the agri-food supply chain is firmly on the agenda for all big food businesses. But we aren't there yet, and this report explains the complexities of the issues," says Helen.

 "Right now, dairy farmers should stay focused on cutting emissions from milk production and building and testing soil carbon on their farms. But watch this space, because exciting developments on the role of soil carbon credits in UK supply chains are most definitely on the horizon," she concludes.

You can download a copy of the report from the Kite website www.kiteconsulting.com or click here.