How to Measure Soil Organic Carbon

AMES, Iowa – Soil organic carbon plays a wide range of crucial roles in agriculture and in the evolving world of carbon credits and carbon markets. Soil organic carbon impacts crop productivity, soil health, the movement of water and the removal of contaminants. To help landowners and others better understand soil organic carbon, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recently published a new resource called “Measuring Soil Organic Carbon: A Crucial Iowa Resource.” This four-page guide defines soil organic carbon, explains how it is measured and the roles it plays in agriculture and the environment. “Farmers have long been interested in the value of the organic matter in their soils, and this publication specifically looks at the amount of organic carbon in the soil and how it is measured,” said Jim Jordahl, project analyst with the Biorenewables Research Lab at Iowa State University. “Third-party carbon programs are actively buying carbon credits from farmers who implement impro

AMES, Iowa – Soil organic carbon plays a wide range of crucial roles in agriculture and in the evolving world of carbon credits and carbon markets. Soil organic carbon impacts crop productivity, soil health, the movement of water and the removal of contaminants. To help landowners and others better understand soil organic carbon, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recently published a new resource called “Measuring Soil Organic Carbon: A Crucial Iowa Resource.” This four-page guide defines soil organic carbon, explains how it is measured and the roles it plays in agriculture and the