25 June 2026, Israel: Groundwork BioAg, the company behind the Rootella® mycorrhizal inoculant platform, has announced the issuance of its first verified carbon credits under the Rootella Carbon® Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) program. The issuance comprises 19,568 net Verified Carbon Units (VCUs), independently verified by SCS Global under the Verra Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), with multiple purchase agreements already secured.
The issuance represents the first carbon credits generated under Verra’s VM0042 methodology in the United States and marks Groundwork BioAg’s transition from project development to active participation in the voluntary carbon market.
According to the company, Rootella Carbon is focused exclusively on carbon dioxide removal rather than emissions avoidance. The program is designed to quantify and monetize carbon sequestration achieved through mycorrhizal fungi-driven soil carbon storage, referred to as “Mycorrhizal Carbon™.”
A key feature of the program is its grower participation model. Groundwork BioAg stated that participating farmers receive up to 70% of the net proceeds from carbon credit sales. Larry McClendon, a grower participating in the program from Marianna, Arkansas, said the initiative is helping quantify improvements in soil carbon levels and providing confidence in the program’s outcomes.
Groundwork BioAg CEO Alon Werber said the issuance demonstrates the ability to deliver carbon removal that is scalable, durable and verifiable. He added that the company aims to expand the role of soil-based carbon removal within the broader global carbon market.
The program has expanded significantly since its launch. Grower enrollment increased from approximately 9,000 acres (3.6 thousand hectares) in 2023 to more than 700,000 acres (280 thousand hectares) across the U.S. Midwest and the Canadian Prairies. Groundwork BioAg estimates that reduced-tillage farmland across the Americas represents an immediate addressable market of around 450 million acres.
Mandy Rambharos, CEO of Verra, noted that the VM0042 methodology was developed to provide science-based accounting for carbon removal from agricultural land management. She said the first issuance under the methodology in the United States demonstrates its practical application across large-scale farmland.
Groundwork BioAg reports that Mycorrhizal Carbon can sequester between 1.5 and 3.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per acre annually (4–9 tonnes per hectare). The company attributes this to the formation of Mineral-Associated Organic Matter (MAOM), a form of soil carbon that can remain stable for extended periods.
Dr. Yossi Kofman, co-founder and chairman of Groundwork BioAg, said the program was established on the premise that mycorrhizal fungi are a major natural pathway for long-term soil carbon sequestration. He added that the Verra registration and credit issuance could support the expansion of the approach across millions of acres globally.
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