The Carbon Trust’s independent assurance arm conducted a rigorous review of the Cool Farm Platform’s internal quality processes, methodology and its maintenance, governance structures, member support, and training documentation. This thorough assessment ensures that the platform’s calculations, assumptions and outputs are transparent, reliable, and scientifically robust. For agritech professionals, and supply chain partners, it means they can trust the results, make informed sustainability decisions, and confidently report their carbon impacts to customers, investors, and regulators.

The assurance highlights that the Cool Farm Platform V3 is capable of creating carbon footprints in conformity with international standards, including ISO 14067, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard, PAS 2050:2011, and the Carbon Trust’s own requirements.

“Achieving this assurance marks a pivotal moment for the Cool Farm Platform and for supply chain reporters worldwide,” said Dr Megan McKerchar, Head of Science and Methods at Cool Farm Alliance. “It validates the scientific rigour behind our platform and gives our users confidence that their sustainability actions can be based on carbon footprint information that is measurable, credible, and aligned with global standards.”

“The Cool Farm Platform has demonstrated robust methodologies and transparency in assessing on-farm greenhouse gas impacts,” said Martin Hockaday, Head of Assurance at the Carbon Trust. “Our assurance confirms that the platform’s calculation methodology meets internationally recognised standards, helping farmers and supply chain partners to better understand their carbon footprint, allowing them to make meaningful decisions to reduce their emissions.”

The assurance highlights the Cool Farm Platform’s role as a trusted, science-driven tool for users, industry peers, and supply chain stakeholders seeking to reduce their carbon footprint, measure impacts, and make data-driven decisions in line with global standards.

Note: The output from the Cool Farm Platform does not constitute a verified carbon footprint.

About Cool Farm
Cool Farm is a science-led, not-for-profit membership organisation (Community Interest Company) dedicated to advancing regenerative agriculture on a global scale. We own, manage, and continuously improve the Cool Farm Platform, providing credible, science-based metrics and resources that help farmers and companies make sustainable, measurable decisions. The Cool Farm Platform builds on the legacy of the widely recognised Cool Farm Tool.

For over 15 years, we have united leading food and beverage companies, NGOs, academics, and
farmer groups, empowering the supply chain with standardised metrics to measure and improve
agriculture’s environmental impact, through the Cool Farm Alliance.

About the Carbon Trust
The Carbon Trust is a global climate consultancy driven by the mission to accelerate the move to a decarbonised future. It has been pioneering decarbonisation for more than 20 years for businesses, governments, and organisations. Through its independent assurance services, the Carbon Trust provides credibility and confidence in sustainability claims, helping organisations demonstrate transparency, avoid compliance risks, while building trust with stakeholders.

The post Cool Farm Platform Achieves Assurance from the Carbon Trust for Setting Internal Benchmark for Sustainability Assessments appeared first on Cool Farm Tool | An online greenhouse gas, water, and biodiversity calculator.

In this one-hour session, we’ll explore how organisations are approaching this challenge in practice — and how the Cool Farm Alliance supports the transition from sustainability commitments to measurable action.

What you’ll learn

• The story behind the Cool Farm Alliance and why it exists
• How collaboration enables more consistent and credible measurement across the value chain
• The science behind the Cool Farm Platform, including methodology and transparency
• A live demonstration of how data is collected, shared, and used
• Reflections from our Membership Advisory Council

Who this session is for

This session is designed for organisations working in sustainability, supply chains, and agri-food who are looking to better understand how to measure and manage environmental impact at farm level.

Event details

Date: April 23
Time: 2PM UK Time
Location: Online

The post Introduction to Cool Farm webinar: measuring sustainability in agriculture appeared first on Cool Farm Tool | An online greenhouse gas, water, and biodiversity calculator.

By partnering with The Felix Project, HE Hall & Son have not only found a new way to retain their 50 acres of apple, pear and plum trees, but also eliminated food waste and fed thousands of people in need.

Now they are working with the LUNZ Footprint Project which aims to reveal the climate benefits of low-input, nature-friendly farming while shaping the future of UK carbon policy.

What is the LUNZ Project?

The Cool Farm Alliance is a leading partner on an ambitious new research programme that aims to help scale ghg footprinting while also shaping the future of the UK’s carbon footprint strategy.

The Land Use To Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Accounting Project (LUNZ Footprint) research programme* is a collaborative project led by the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) and Cranfield University, involving 100 farmers, three calculator providers, researchers and land agents across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.   

The project is investigating how greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting tools, like the Cool Farm Platform, can be scaled sustainably and equitably, helping reduce GHG emissions and support a net zero transition.  

Ultimately, it’s hoped the programme can help to build capacity and net zero literacy, predict carbon sequestration by hedges and trees, validate methods, and address governance and equity issues.  

Cool Farm’s Role

The Cool Farm Alliance is one of the key partners in the programme and has partnered with 28 farmers across England, Scotland, and Wales for the project.

By working side by side with farmers to complete their own GHG assessments using the Cool Farm Tool and Cool Farm Platform over the next two years, the participants will get unique insights into their farming practices, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and will ensure the farmers’ voice is heard in the shaping of national carbon policy.

Meet one of the LUNZ farmers

Peter Hall, owner of family run business HE Hall & Son Ltd, has been tending orchards in Marden for more than forty years. Today, he manages 170 hectares of land, all in environmental schemes, on the Low Weald floodplain in Kent; over half is certified organic. Some of the apple trees are almost a century old but are still producing fruit and are a reference point for the family’s identity as growers.

For years, their organically grown apples were tree-ripened and sold through multiple retailers, organic box schemes, and wholesale markets. In recent seasons however, unpredictable weather, rising production costs, and falling market prices have rendered this model increasingly fragile. Rather than grub up the orchards, the family looked for an alternative approach that would preserve them whilst at the same time deliver a small but meaningful income.

This came through a partnership with The Felix Project, a London-based food charity. In the autumn of 2023, over a thousand volunteers from more than fifty London based companies came to the farm over just two months to harvest the apples, pears and plums. Everything that was sound was delivered as fresh fruit, everything that was unsuitable for immediate consumption was picked and juiced; 100% of the crop was saved.

The fruit is delivered to Felix depots and distributed, also by volunteers, free of charge, to London’s citizens experiencing food insecurity. By tailoring picking specifications to the crop on the tree, every piece of fruit found a home; there was zero waste and the small Defra payments delivered via The Sustainable Farming Initiative and guaranteed up to harvest 2028 ensure that the orchards continue to thrive as a haven for biodiversity as well as producing healthy nutritious food.

For Peter, joining the LUNZ project was a way to hopefully confirm what he had long believed, that traditional orchards, managed with care, could have a very low – or even negative – greenhouse gas footprint. The orchards are lightly grazed by the farm’s small flock of Kent ewes generating natural fertility, and with no chemical inputs, the system is simple, circular, and resilient.

Peter says: “Whilst the Defra Sustainable Farming Initiative funding has enabled us to retain the orchards so iconic to The Garden of England and deliver food to those most in need, we felt that we wanted empirical evidence as to the extent that these semi-permanent structures deliver on a range of environmental criteria over and above increased bio-diversity, from carbon capture to GHG emissions; the LUNZ project has provided us with that opportunity”  

About Cool Farm Platform

The Cool Farm Alliance is a global non-profit membership organisation that brings together farmers, food companies, NGOs, and researchers to support sustainable agriculture.

At its heart is the new Cool Farm Platform, a leading on-farm assessment tool that helps the entire supply chain, from farmers to retailers, to measure greenhouse gas emissions.

By putting data directly into the hands of growers, the Platform empowers them to understand the environmental impact of their practices, identify opportunities for improvement, and share credible results with supply chain partners.

More resilient and scalable, agile and futureproof, the Cool Farm Platform is leading the way in creating a unified, global methodology for measuring sustainability in supply chains.

Stay updated on the LUNZ Footprint Project:

Visit the LUNZ website for the latest programme updates or Follow Cool Farm on LinkedIn to keep up with project news.

* The LUNZ Footprint project (BB/Z516351/1) is part of the ʻTransforming Land Use for Net Zero, Nature and Peopleʼ (LUNZ) programme, co-funded and supported by UKRI, Defra, DESNZ, DAERA, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government. 

The post Sustainable Apple Farming in Practice: A Case Study from the LUNZ Footprint Project appeared first on Cool Farm Tool | An online greenhouse gas, water, and biodiversity calculator.

That oversight is provided by the Science Advisory Council (SAC), an independent group of experts who guide the scientific foundations of Cool Farm’s work. As we look ahead to the next phase of platform development, we are opening applications for new SAC members and inviting our wider community to learn more about the Council and its role.

Join Our Webinar: Get to Know the Science Advisory Council

Monday, 26 January 2026 | 3:00 PM UK Time | Online

To support those interested in learning more, we are hosting a dedicated webinar introducing the Science Advisory Council, how it works in practice, and the impact it has across the Cool Farm Tool and Platform.

The session will be facilitated by Megan McKerchar, Head of Science and Methods at Cool Farm, and will feature:

• Frank Brentrup, Chair of the Science Advisory Council
• Quirine Ketterings, Co-Chair of the Science Advisory Council

Together, they will share how the SAC supports method development, independent review, and scientific guidance, and why this oversight is essential for tools used across global supply chains.

During the webinar, we will explore:

• What the Science Advisory Council is and how it operates
• How scientific review and governance are applied at Cool Farm
• How SAC insights feed into the ongoing evolution of the Tool and Platform
• What it means to be part of the Council

There will also be time for questions from attendees.

This session is particularly relevant for anyone considering applying to join the Science Advisory Council, as it provides an opportunity to better understand the Council’s role, responsibilities, and impact before submitting an application.

Applications Now Open: Join the Science Advisory Council

Alongside the webinar, we are pleased to announce that applications are now open for new members of the Science Advisory Council, including the role of SAC Chair.

The SAC plays a central role in ensuring the scientific integrity and credibility of the Cool Farm Tool and Platform. We are particularly interested in applicants with expertise in areas such as biodiversity, water, livestock systems, modelling, emissions, and sustainable management practices.

These voluntary roles offer the opportunity to:

• Help shape globally used methodologies
• Contribute to real-world impact across food and agriculture
• Collaborate with leading experts across science and industry

You do not need to attend the webinar in order to apply, but it is a valuable opportunity to learn more about the Council and hear directly from its current leadership.

Application deadline: 20 February 2026

Learn More and Get Involved

Whether you are curious about how scientific decisions are made at Cool Farm, interested in contributing your expertise, or simply want to better understand the governance behind the Tool and Platform, we encourage you to take part.

• Register for the webinar on 26 January
• Apply to join the Science Advisory Council before 20 February

We look forward to welcoming new voices and perspectives as we continue to strengthen the scientific foundations of Cool Farm.

The post Introducing the Science Advisory Council: Webinar and Open Applications appeared first on Cool Farm Tool | An online greenhouse gas, water, and biodiversity calculator.

• Location: Remote (must be eligible to work in the UK)
• Contract: Permanent (6-month probation)
• Hours: Part-time, 24–32 hours per week (flexible)
• Salary: £24,000–£40,000 per annum (depending on experience and whether 0.6 or 0.8 FTE)
• Application deadline: 8:00 AM GMT, 23 February 2026

Position overview

We are seeking a Standards and Guidance Specialist with strong analytical and organisational skills, deep knowledge of greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting standards, and an entrepreneurial mindset to support the growth of Cool Farm’s advisory services.

In this role, you will help translate international standards into clear, operational methodologies for the Cool Farm Platform and support the early growth of a new advisory service offering for members and supply chain reporters.

You will work closely with modellers, developers, and product managers to ensure that Cool Farm’s methods remain robust, transparent, and aligned with evolving guidance such as the IPCC Guidelines, WRI Land Sector and Removals Guidance, and the Carbon Removals Certification Framework.

The role requires strong quantitative and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret technical requirements, assess uncertainty, and contribute meaningfully to method development and implementation. You will report to the Head of Science and Methods and be supported by the wider Cool Farm secretariat.

Your key responsibilities

• Interpret and operationalise evolving GHG and sustainability standards (e.g. IPCC, GHG Protocol, ISO, FLAG, WRI, TNFD) to ensure alignment with Cool Farm methodologies.
• Support the development of advisory and consulting services for members and external clients.
• Contribute to bid development, scoping, costings, and resource planning.
• Deliver or coordinate technical advisory work, including standards interpretation, data analysis, and methodological support.
• Contribute to the development, testing, review, and documentation of models used within the Cool Farm Platform.
• Conduct data checks and quality assurance, including validation of model outputs using Excel and other analytical tools.
• Produce clear technical documentation and support knowledge sharing across the organisation.
• Support or lead engagement with internal and external working groups and stakeholders.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of methods, processes, and guidance materials.

Essential criteria

• Demonstrated understanding of GHG accounting and sustainability standards (e.g. IPCC, GHG Protocol, ISO, FLAG, WRI).
• Experience delivering or supporting consulting or technical advisory work.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with excellent proficiency in Excel.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex scientific or technical information to different audiences.
• High attention to detail and strong commitment to scientific accuracy.
• Self-motivated, organised, and comfortable working in a remote environment.
• Background in agriculture, environmental science, sustainability, or a related field.
• Experience working with or interpreting carbon or sustainability models (e.g. IPCC Tier 1–3 approaches).
• Fluent in English and eligible to work in the UK.

Application process

• Applications should be submitted via the application form.
• Deadline: 8:00 AM GMT, 23 February 2026.
• Applications will be reviewed by two reviewers, with the first page hidden during shortlisting.
• Interviews are expected to take place in March 2026 and will be held virtually.
• Interviews will last approximately one hour, with questions shared in advance.
• Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a written task (up to 4 hours).

If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please let us know.

For more information about Cool Farm, visit https://coolfarm.org/ or contact megan.mckerchar@coolfarm.org.

The post We’re hiring: Standards and Guidance Specialist appeared first on Cool Farm Tool | An online greenhouse gas, water, and biodiversity calculator.

Position Outline:

• Location: Remote, UK
• Duration: 12 months, 3 months probation
• Hours: full time, 40 hours per week, flexible
• Pay: 40-50K pro rata
• Application Deadline: 8AM GMT, 12th Jan 2026

Position Overview: 

Cool Farm Alliance is seeking a post-doctoral  researcher to support the development and delivery of the Cool Farm Biodiversity Metric, specifically its adaptation for tropical forest biomes (e.g. Colombia). This work will be undertaken in close collaboration with Professor Lynn Dicks at the University of Cambridge.

You will contribute to evaluating and synthesising ecological evidence using the Conservation Evidence methodology, coordinating expert input, and refining scoring systems that underpin the biodiversity assessment tool used on the Cool Farm Platform.

This role sits at the intersection of applied ecology, biodiversity science, stakeholder engagement, and environmental impact assessment.

The ideal candidate will have a background in biodiversity, agroecology, or conservation science, with a strong foundation in evidence synthesis or quantitative analysis. Experience working with biodiversity or agricultural datasets is highly valued. You will have strong analytical skills and be confident in handling, interpreting, and clearly presenting ecological data and scoring logic in a concise and accurate way.

You will report to Cool Farm’s Head of Science and Methods and be supported by the full Cool Farm secretariat.

If you have a background in science, are smart, fun, love numbers, have outstanding attention to detail and organisational skills and a solid work ethic we would love to hear from you.

Your Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate biodiversity scoring activities using the Conservation Evidence approach described in Crowther et al (2024) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.111897
• Organise and facilitate expert elicitation panels for tropical species groups
• Synthesise and evaluate ecological research on the impacts of farm management practices on biodiversity
• Lead integration of the tropical-specific metrics into the existing Cool Farm Biodiversity framework
• Collaborate with the Cool Farm modelling and product teams to ensure successful delivery
• Prepare plain-language summaries and technical documentation for transparency and future use
• Managing projects and supporting/leading working groups associated with new model development
• Supporting our team with technical and project management queries
• Contributing to testing and providing recommendations on new features for our online tool
• Support the Cool Farms Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives

Essential Criteria:

• Experience in biodiversity, conservation, agroecology, or a closely related discipline
• Familiarity with evidence synthesis methods (e.g. systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or expert elicitation)
• Strong analytical and research skills
• Excellent written communication, with an ability to clearly summarise scientific evidence
• Highly organised, self-motivated, and able to coordinate tasks independently
• Experience with farm-scale biodiversity metrics or agri-environment assessments
• Proficient in Excel, with the ability to create worked examples for testing model logic and outputs (e.g. for use in developer unit tests)
• Be extremely attentive to detail and rigorous
• Strongly motivated, self-starter willing to take the initiative to ensure that solutions are delivered on time.
• Experience working with multi-stakeholder or international teams
• Fluent in English
• Applicants must have the right to work in the UK, with appropriate visa or immigration status if required
• Coding or data handling skills (e.g. Python, R, or spreadsheets)

Application Process: 

• Interested candidates should continue with this application form. Deadline is 8AM GMT, 12th Jan 2026
• Two people will read the applications and the first page of the application will be hidden from those selecting candidates for interview
• We aim for the interviews to happen 29th and 30th January
• Interviews will be virtual and approximately 1 hour long. We will send the main questions before the interview so candidates can prepare
• Once the candidates have been shortlisted a test will be provided, and candidates given 4 hours to complete

The post We’re hiring: Biodiversity Researcher (12-month contract) appeared first on Cool Farm Tool | An online greenhouse gas, water, and biodiversity calculator.

In this series, we’ll dive into their roles, daily work, inspirations, and the ways they contribute to building tools that help farmers, supply chains, and sustainability teams measure and reduce environmental impacts. First up, we’re chatting with Timi Odubola, a software engineer whose work is helping make the Cool Farm Tool faster, smarter, and more accessible to users around the globe.

Hi Timi! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role?

Hi, I’m Timi Odubola, a software engineer at Cool Farm. My role centers on building, refining, and scaling the systems that power the Cool Farm Tool a platform used by farmers, supply chains, and sustainability teams worldwide to measure greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, and water impacts.

On a typical day, I might:

• Develop and optimise core components of the tool to make calculations faster and more reliable
  
• Work with scientists and method experts to translate complex climate and agricultural models into usable software features
  
• Enhance the user experience so that farmers and supply chain partners can interact with the tool more easily
  
• Ensure the platform integrates smoothly with partner systems, making data more accessible and actionable
  
• Contribute to testing, refining, and scaling new modules that reflect the latest science

No two days look the same, but the common thread is building systems that turn data and science into practical tools for global climate action.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned in your first year?

I’ve learned how important it is to balance scientific rigor with usability. A model can be mathematically sound, but if it isn’t accessible or practical for the people using it, farmers in the field, or sustainability leads managing supply chains  it won’t have an impact. Building systems that are both robust and user-friendly has been a key lesson.

Has anything surprised you about working here?

Yes,  the level of collaboration across disciplines. I work closely not just with other engineers, but with scientists and sustainability experts. I was surprised by how open the team is to co-creating solutions across these boundaries, and how much value comes from that exchange.

What project or piece of work are you most proud of from the past year?

One highlight was developing system optimisations for core calculations in the Cool Farm Tool. This work significantly improved speed and scalability, allowing more complex datasets and larger user groups to run assessments seamlessly. It was rewarding to see my contributions directly improve the experience for both farmers and supply chain partners.

I’m also proud of supporting integrations that allow organizations to connect their sustainability reporting systems with Cool Farm outputs — making it easier for global companies to track progress toward climate and biodiversity goals.

How has your role developed or changed since you started?

When I joined, I focused on smaller bug fixes and technical refinements. Over time, I’ve moved into designing new platform modules and leading feature development. I’ve grown into a role that bridges engineering and impact, ensuring the systems we build are scalable, accurate, and future-ready.

In what ways have you grown since joining?

• Technically: I’ve deepened my expertise in building scalable, resilient systems for scientific applications.
  
• Interdisciplinarity: I’ve learned to translate between engineering and science — taking complex models and making them work in real software.
  
• Leadership: I’ve become more confident in proposing technical solutions and guiding conversations on how to future-proof our systems.
  

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining the team?

Be ready to embrace complexity and impact. You’ll be working on problems where the science is evolving, the stakes are high, and the users range from farmers in the field to multinational companies. If you’re curious, collaborative, and motivated by climate action, it’s an incredibly rewarding place to contribute your skills. You can always keep an eye on our latest jobs on Flexa Cool Farm | Verified Employers | Flexa Careers.

And finally, what do you love doing outside of work?

Outside of work, I have a strong passion for photography, which allows me to explore creativity from a different perspective. I enjoy traveling and discovering new environments, drawing inspiration from the diverse places and cultures I encounter and capturing them through my lens.

Want to meet more of the amazing people behind Cool Farm?

Stay tuned for the next edition of Cool Conversations, where we’ll share stories, insights, and inspirations from the team powering our mission to turn data into real-world climate impact.

Curious, inspired, or have questions for the team? Drop us a note — we’d love to hear from you!

Or check out our flexible approach to work here.

The post Cool Conversations: with Timi Odubola, Software Engineer appeared first on Cool Farm Tool | An online greenhouse gas, water, and biodiversity calculator.

Introducing the Soil Organic Carbon Model (SOC) Created for Perennial Systems

Measuring soil carbon is complex, especially in perennial systems like coffee, cocoa or nuts, in which roots, leaf litter and ground cover build organic matter over time. Existing models were mainly developed for annual crops, and are therefore unable to reflect the carbon content of perennial crops with permanent soil cover and complex plant growth.

Solidaridad recently tested the new Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) model within the Perennial Pathway on the new Cool Farm Platform, to explore how digital solutions can help both businesses and farmers get a grip on Scope 3 emissions. The SOC model enables more accurate Scope 3 calculations for businesses and empowers farmers to access sustainability incentives and emission-reduction projects within supply chains, also known as insetting.

Most traditional models rely on averages, assuming, for example, that all farmland emits or stores the same amount of carbon each year. But in reality, soil carbon content is influenced by:

• Crop type (e.g. cocoa vs. banana trees)
• Crop management (e.g. compost, cover crops, residue use)
• Weather (using monthly satellite-based data)

In contrast, the SOC model simulates how carbon moves into and out of the soil in real-world scenarios, allowing the user greater flexibility in options. Developed through a science-driven process, it’s designed to be both accurate and user-friendly, especially for smallholder perennial systems.

Field-Tested in the Climate Heroes Programme

Solidaridad tested the SOC model in the Climate Heroes programme, working with smallholder coffee and cocoa farmers in East & Central Africa. Our teams supported the field testing, Solidaridad provided financial contributions to the model development and trained local teams. The staff helped farmers to collect, maintain and validate the required data, making MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) accessible and scalable for smallholders. 

The goal of this work is to adapt the tool to local conditions – a crucial step in turning complex data into actionable strategies for both farms and organisations. To make this possible, our staff receive ongoing training in the use of the Cool Farm Platform – as seen here in Central America in May 2025. 

“We knew that to meet the needs of both farmers and businesses, we had to move beyond static emission factors. The SOC model allows users to see the carbon impact of real management choices – and that’s powerful.” Emily Durrant-Munro, Project Lead, Cool Farm.

What It Means for Farmers

For farmers, especially smallholders growing cocoa and coffee, this is a game-changer. By accurately modeling carbon gains from improved practices, they can:

• Improve soil health, productivity and farm resilience
• Access sustainability premiums and climate finance
• Participate in carbon markets or insetting initiatives

Better soil carbon data empowers farmers by linking their day-to-day management decisions directly to measurable climate impact, such as adopting regenerative practices like using organic inputs.

Why This Matters for Companies with Scope 3 Emissions

Companies in agricultural supply chains, including traders and roasters,  are under increasing pressure to report and reduce Scope 3 emissions as part of their climate commitments.

The SOC model helps by:

• Facilitating transparent carbon footprint tracking
• Improving GHG inventories with better representation of perennial systems
• Supporting insetting projects and investments in regenerative practices
• Providing data integrity with peer-reviewed science and uncertainty analysis
• Standardising metrics to meet regulations and market demands

This enhanced digital platform helps farmers and agribusinesses to make data-driven decisions for crops like coffee, while enabling traders and roasters to measure, monitor, and reduce emissions across their supply chains. Ultimately, this helps all actors to align directly with the demands of sustainable markets. 

Beyond sharpening technical expertise in the region, this training cemented Solidaridad’s role as a trusted advisor in carbon footprint management, a critical resource for companies decarbonizing their supply chains and buyers decarbonizing their operations.

Next Steps: From Root to Reporting

Solidaridad integrates cutting-edge science, digital tools and grassroots experience to offer technological answers to current challenges. Using our global tools and local expertise will provide companies actionable and measurable results. 

Through the SOC model, Solidaridad, Cool Farm and other sustainability-driven companies are able to collaborate more effectively and engage more directly with farmers. By fostering trusted partnerships with farming communities, Solidaridad supports on-the-ground implementation and fieldwork. The SOC model is now available to Cool Farm Members – and the wider public – as part of Cool Farm Platform 3.0.

It’s time to rethink agriculture – from root to reporting.

• Contact Martine Krabben at  martine.krabben@solidaridadnetwork.org at Solidaridad to start a pilot project. 
• Learn more about this partnership from Emily Durrant-Munro at  emily@coolfarmtool.org.
• Get in-depth details about the model from Dr. Megan McKerchar at support@coolfarmtool.org.

The post Making the Invisible, Visible: Modeling Carbon in Soil appeared first on Cool Farm Tool | An online greenhouse gas, water, and biodiversity calculator.

On 2nd October (14:00–15:30 BST) we’ll host the next session in our Regen Reflections webinar series, focusing on what a Just Transition looks like in the move towards regenerative agriculture.

Before we look ahead, it feels like the right time to pause and reflect on the lessons we’ve gathered so far.

To move towards a regenerative system, we need to act now. But knowing which steps to take can be challenging.  

Our Regen Reflections webinars are designed to support members in taking the next step, whether that means starting out on the journey or tackling the next big challenge. Each session explores the actions we need to create a regenerative food system. Together, they form part of a learning journey, where we generate and share knowledge to inspire action across our community.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

Data drives change.

Jon Calland (Tilda Rice) showed how detailed data collection supported carbon reductions while also improving soil health, biodiversity and pest control. Their initiative in India cut pesticide use by 70 percent while boosting yields and farmer incomes.

Broad metrics unlock multiple benefits.

Joseph Gridley, Matt Ryan and Ben Makowieck shared how using a broad set of metrics helps unlock benefits for farmers, ecosystems and the wider value chain. This approach encourages farmer buy-in while also meeting corporate needs.

Benchmarking guides next steps.

Geert Van Aelst explained how data reporting and benchmarking helped Suedzucker identify clear pathways to regeneration while reducing their GHG footprint.

On-the-ground measurement matters.

Annie Leeson and Ashley Swan (First Milk) showed how measuring soil carbon at both field and landscape level supports farmers in adopting regenerative practices while building wider supply-chain insight.

Mindset is the key.

Jess de Boer reminded us that shifting mindset is often the most important step in unlocking the full value of regenerative agriculture at farm level.

Co-creation creates lasting change.

Jo Lawrence and Sophie Gregory emphasised how working directly with farmers to design and implement regenerative agriculture programmes ensures that data and insights bring value to all, while creating change that sticks.

Looking Ahead: Our October Webinar

While we’ve learned a lot from our recent focus on results, our journey doesn’t stop here. On 2nd October (15:00–16:30 CET) we’ll continue the conversation with our next Regen Reflections session, held in collaboration with SAI Platform.

This webinar will be hosted by Rebecca Hesketh and Siobhan Bradley, who will lead an open and honest discussion on what a Just Transition looks like in practice. Together, we’ll explore how a regenerative system can be built around the needs of farmers—supporting resilience on the ground while ensuring fair and sustainable incomes.

It’s an opportunity to hear directly from voices working in the field, to share challenges, and to gather insights that can guide the next steps on our collective journey.

It’s safe to say we’ve covered a lot in just three webinars. We’ve personally learned so much from listening to our speakers and we’re excited for what comes next.

The post Reflecting on Results: Insights from Our Regen Reflections Webinar Series appeared first on Cool Farm Tool | An online greenhouse gas, water, and biodiversity calculator.

If there was one word that kept cropping up at the Cool Farm Alliance Member Event — over coffee, during breakout sessions, or out on a farm walk — it was trust.

Held at Watercress Farm on the Belmont Estate, this annual gathering brought together the diverse community of Cool Farm Alliance members from across the food and farming supply chain for two packed days of inspiration, thought-provoking conversations, and meaningful connections.

With the theme From Isolated Adaptation to Impactful Collaboration, it set out to explore how we move regenerative agriculture from pilots to space.  It related to trusting project stakeholders, data, and above all, building trust in farmers, which featured in just about every session.

Other issues were, of course, discussed, debated, and dissected.

The challenge of scaling pilots was a key concern for many delegates, as were how to achieve cross-sector collaboration and getting buy-in for projects from corporate managers.

But so pervasive was the idea of trust that many of these topics were viewed through this prism and how establishing it with farmers and wider stakeholders was a panacea to the issues the regenerative eco-system is currently working to overcome.

Trust, data and the role of farmers

One of the main areas of debate was the use of data harvested from farmers taking part in trials. Discussions around access, ownership, and value all took place, sparking some lively debate about how best to engage with farmers and take them along on a regen journey.

Speaking in Thursday’s panel event, experts agreed a nuanced approach to collecting and sharing farm data was needed to inspire trust in farmers, whose buy-in is integral to the entire regenerative movement.

One panelist remarked: “A big part of trust is having control over data; the farmer knowing where the data will go and getting something valuable back for it.”

Other panellists – many of whom have direct experience of running or being part of large regenerative pilot schemes – agreed, with one adding: “If it doesn’t benefit the (farming) business, it’s hard for them to get involved.”

But it’s not just concerns around how and where data will be used that can put farmers off. What the data actually says can also be a barrier, especially when it comes to comparisons with other farmers.

“No farmer wants to come out worst compared to other farmers. This is another suspicion around data.

“Many are not joining projects because they are afraid, they’ll be worse than other farmers in a group. It’s a real problem.”

Breakout sessions with breakthrough ideas

The panel discussions were a great opportunity for experienced industry experts to debate the challenges in delivering regenerative projects and pilots, and answer questions from an engaged audience.

The breakout sessions, however, were all about unearthing solutions.

The Cool Farm Event adopted the Scan, Focus, Act approach to problem solving, with delegates encouraged not just to discuss and understand barriers within the industry, but to debate real-world solutions they could take away and feed into their existing and future projects.

The sessions covered a range of topics including clarity, trust, and value in data sharing; getting started in a project and sharing learnings; moving from pilots to large-scale action; unlocking impact; integrating datasets from different sources into supply chain systems; and fostering biodiversity, with delegates signing up to take part in the sessions they were most interested in.

But in a spirit of sharing and collaboration that defined the conference, delegates had the opportunity to engage with other breakout groups to hear how they had tackled the issues most pertinent to them.

Here the theme of trust once again came to the fore, including how a lack of incentives offered to farmers could arouse suspicion.

As one delegate explained: “Motivations are not always aligned and that’s a problem.

“We’re asking XYZ from farmers but we’re not incentivising them.

“I think there is an assumption farmers naturally want to get involved in this type of activity, but the reality is it needs to be valuable to them. If it’s not, it feels like it’s all one way and that erodes trust.”

Other solutions highlighted included:

• Spending an hour a week evangelising about the possibilities of regenerative farming to colleagues to address the lack of knowledge in large corporates.
• Taking senior personnel along to farm visits to engage them at ground level and show them what is possible.
• Connecting downstream to upstream stakeholders more effectively to promote a greater understanding of the different roles within a project.

On being challenged to describe what success looks like, one breakout session agreed it is when … “From farmers and everyone else, there would be no more questioning it (regenerative farming), no more discussions incentivising regenerative, consumers no longer needing to choose. Everyone in the system, from ag schools to financiers, are bought into it,” adding success will not be reached until ‘not being regenerative is the more costly option.’

Scaling projects, without leaving anyone behind

Whereas there is a huge amount of insight that can be gathered from pilots and trials, it was generally agreed real change can only be achieved by scaling regenerative practices.

Unsurprisingly, therefore, the barriers to scaling up were widely discussed, leading to a number of differing viewpoints on what scaling means and how different stakeholders view it.

One farmer, who took part in Thursday’s discussion panel event, encouraged corporates to avoid ‘getting lost in spreadsheets’.

He said: “You need to get out on a farm and you need to feel the soil, remember the basics of what we’re trying to do in the field.”

The same speaker added the regenerative community had been great at speaking to the top 10% of farmers who were happy to get involved with pilots, but real scale requires the mass adoption of regen principals across the agricultural industry.

Collective investment by all interested stakeholders was suggested as one route to achieving this. Delegates felt supermarkets and retailers should take more responsibility in informing consumers about sustainable food production and insurers should offer climate-related products to protect producers against extreme weather events.

Governments, NGOs, universities, banks, and even waste removal companies also came under the spotlight in relation to their responsibilities in helping scale sustainable farming.

Impactful Collaboration

Of course, scaling can only be achieved through effective collaboration and with a conference theme of ‘From Isolated Adaptation to Impactful Collaboration’, it is no surprise how to successfully work together was subject to much debate.

Trust, naturally, featured highly in these discussions, along with the alignment of risk among the stakeholders, convincing corporate colleagues of the value of pilots, and access to funding.

Another area of debate was target setting and KPIs. Often, it was pointed out, corporates struggle to take projects forward without KPIs in place, but where projects have never been carried out before, target setting can be pointless at best and in many cases impossible.

Suggested solutions to these critical issues were better communication, realistic expectation setting, and defining the roles of all parties within the partner organisations.

Lobbying for change

Finally, a rallying cry came out of one of the breakout sessions – a call for Cool Farm members to campaign for global change.

As many of our members are among the largest businesses in the world – and because they represent so many different countries – their collective power to lobby governments is almost unparalleled.

A shared mood of optimism

Despite the clear and obvious challenges within the regenerative sector, the mood at the Cool Farm Event was one of optimism – optimism that collaboration will improve and get stronger; that all stakeholders along the supply chain share the objectives of creating a more sustainable food industry; and that the incoming generation of farmers and producers are more keen to embrace sustainable practices than their predecessors.

Perhaps the most telling comment came from Patrick Holden CBE, founder and CEO of the Sustainable Food Trust.

In Wednesday’s panel event, he was asked about collaboration and what people can do to create win-win partnerships.

His answer was as simple as it was clear …

“Being here today, it’s happening now.”

Moments like that are the reason we hold this event – not just to debate but to act, to bring our fantastic members together to find practical solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.

That is our “why”

Why we Gathered

With the Cool Farm Annual Event 2025, we set out to explore ways to optimise collaboration within the regenerative farming space. By doing so, we inspired two full days of immersive, energising collaboration and shared lessons that make us all stronger.

It is in these shared connections and experiences that the greatest optimism can be found.

Be part of the Cool Farm Alliance Community

The Col Farm Annual event is more than just a conference, it’s our annual gathering of members across the food and farming supply chain to connect, collaborate and drive progress, together. If you’re interested in finding out more about the Cool Farm Alliance, please fill out this short form to get started.

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