Building soil carbon in cropping systems just got easier

Loam Bio is one of Australia’s fastest growing agritech companies, delivering a seed inoculum – CarbonBuilder^TM – that supports the build of stable soil carbon in cropping systems – and with the release of their 2022 Trial results, it’s easy to see why.

Loam Bio was founded in 2019 by a group of farmers and agronomists to address the challenge of increasing carbon in our farming soils, while maximising on-farm productivity.

Since then, Loam has been developing commercial microbial products, delivering a global product development program, which in Australia included:

36 greenhouse trials
198 small plot trials
57,789 soil samples analysed

Loam’s CarbonBuilderTM technology working at the root system of crops

It’s no secret that it is difficult to build soil carbon in cropping systems. But, years of research and product development has led to the development of Loam’s CarbonBuilder^TM seed inoculum products that can consistently increase soil carbon in cropping systems, with the most recent 2022 trials delivering the following results:

CarbonBuilder Canola^TM delivered an average carbon sequestration rate (TC% increase over control) of 5.25% with a yield increase of 5.15%. This product showed an average win-rate for carbon build of 88% across the sites tested.
CarbonBuilder Barley^TM delivered an average carbon sequestration rate (TC% increase over control) of 3.20% with a grain yield increase of 2.9% This product showed an average win-rate for carbon build of 71% across the sites tested.

CarbonBuilder^TM products are currently available to growers through Loam’s SecondCrop^TM soil carbon projects.

Growing your SecondCrop^TM

In order to give farmers pathways to maximise the benefits of building soil carbon, Loam has now launched the SecondCrop^TM carbon project program, delivering end-to-end farmer focused project options.

Loam Bio Co-founder and agronomist, Guy Webb, is working with growers to make sure the steps to build soil carbon and participate in sustainable supply chains and carbon markets are clear.

“Ensuring growers have clear pathways to capture the value of the carbon they are building in their soils has led to the development of Loam Bio’s SecondCrop^TM carbon program: farmer-focused carbon project options that are transparent and share the risk between Loam Bio and the grower when entering Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) soil carbon projects,” Mr Webb says.

“Providing on-the-ground advice to growers and their agronomists is increasing confidence to participate in carbon projects and sustainable supply chains.”

Loam Co-Founder and agronomist, Guy Webb, talking to Australia’s first SecondCrop grower, Steve Nicholson, of ‘Eniver’ Wiirinya, NSW.

Mr Webb said there is still a lot of confusion across cropping as to how much soil carbon can be built in a system that has traditionally depleted soil carbon levels, coupled with a lack of transparency about what growers need to consider when entering into a carbon project.

“Loam is supplying the technology to support the build of soil carbon in a cropping system, and now with the SecondCrop^TM project options our growers and their agronomists are feeling confident that they’re on the right track to not only meet the increasing demands for sustainable supply-chains, but participate in the rapidly growing global carbon market.”

To explore if one of the SecondCrop project options is a good fit for your farm, visit loambio.com and complete our Grower Interest Survey or call us on (02) 5317 7047