Verra approves VT0014, the first AI-powered soil carbon quantification tool for carbon markets.
The tool reduces sampling costs, expands access to regenerative agriculture finance, and improves project ROI.
Early adopters include Bayer, rTek, Anthesis, and Cool Path, with projects spanning six continents.
Perennial has introduced VT0014, the first Verra-approved digital soil mapping tool to enable scalable, AI-powered soil carbon quantification under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program. The approval marks a breakthrough for agricultural land management projects, offering a more cost-effective and rigorous way to measure soil organic carbon (SOC), even in remote or data-scarce regions.
“This tool is a quantum leap forward in soil quantification. Not only does it lower barriers for MMRV in areas where projects are already underway, it unlocks new regions, new carbon projects and new opportunities for climate finance,” said David Schurman, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Perennial. He pointed to rTek’s regeneration of 500,000 hectares of degraded grasslands in Kazakhstan as one example of early deployment under Verra’s VM0032 methodology.
Developed over four years with input from more than 30 experts, VT0014 integrates Perennial’s proprietary ATLAS-SOC model, which draws from a database of more than 350,000 soil samples. Using machine learning and local calibration, the model can produce hundreds to thousands more data points than traditional sampling alone, cutting costs and minimizing farmer disruption while improving accuracy.
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“Digital soil mapping is critical to reducing the costs associated with the implementation and scaling up of Agricultural Land Management projects,” said Mandy Rambharos, CEO of Verra. “We’re excited to see this scalable solution come to life, as it will meaningfully strengthen access to soil carbon markets for farmers and ranchers worldwide, while ensuring the highest standards of integrity and transparency for project developers and corporate buyers alike.”
Projects using VT0014 span six continents, with partners including Bayer, Anthesis, rTek, and Cool Path. Leo Bastos, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Commercial Ecosystems at Bayer, said: “Bayer is committed to advancing the transition to regenerative agriculture globally, and we are proud to partner with an innovative technology provider that can scale alongside us. The joint development efforts with Perennial not only enhance our trust in their expertise and technology but also position us at the forefront of agricultural innovation, empowering us to better reward farmers for their stewardship of the land.”
The tool’s approval is expected to accelerate access to carbon markets and regenerative financing at scale, advancing Perennial’s vision of regenerating 100 million acres worldwide.
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