Groundwork BioAg Secures ‘BBB’ BeZero Carbon Rating for Rootella Carbon Programme

The rating strengthens the programme’s position in the agricultural soil carbon market, with Groundwork BioAg targeting 245,000 tCO₂e in carbon credit issuance by Q1 2027.

14 October 2026, Israel: Groundwork BioAg, a bioagriculture and climate technology company known for its Rootella® mycorrhizal inoculant, has secured a ‘BBB’ rating from BeZero Carbon for its Rootella Carbon® programme, strengthening its position in the market for independently rated agricultural soil carbon removal credits.

The rating is intended to provide corporate carbon credit buyers with an independent assessment of the programme’s carbon removal quality and associated risks. Groundwork BioAg said the rating could help expand access to buyers requiring independently rated credits supported by robust measurement and verification processes.

Rootella Carbon focuses on removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the use of mycorrhizal fungi, which support plant-root interactions and help transfer carbon into the soil. The programme operates in the United States under Verra’s VM0042 methodology for improved agricultural land management.

According to Groundwork BioAg, the programme records annual carbon sequestration rates of 1.5–3.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per acre, or 4–9 tonnes per hectare. The company said its credits represent 100% carbon dioxide removal, without the inclusion of emissions-avoidance credits.

Direct Soil Measurement Supports Carbon Accounting

A key feature of Rootella Carbon is its reliance on physical soil sampling rather than solely on modelled estimates to quantify changes in soil carbon stocks.

The company said the programme’s 2023 cohort included 593 sampling points, with soil physically sampled to a depth of 30 centimetres. Its monitoring process also incorporates 915 treated-to-control field pairs matched against similarity criteria under Verra’s methodology.

Groundwork BioAg reported that a 26.43% uncertainty deduction was applied during the first monitoring period as part of its conservative crediting approach.

The programme’s design also addresses additionality and permanence, two important considerations in assessing carbon removal projects. Groundwork BioAg argues that carbon finance can help encourage wider adoption of mycorrhizal biological inputs by improving the economics of implementation for growers.

Regarding permanence, the company said mycorrhizal fungi help transfer carbon into soil organic matter, including mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), which can retain carbon over long periods. The programme also allocates up to 70% of net project proceeds to participating growers, aligning farmer compensation with soil stewardship and helping address the risk of carbon reversals.

“For years, the question about soil carbon wasn’t whether it worked. It was whether anyone could prove it. Our growers’ carbon has been measured in the field, independently verified, and now rated by BeZero at the level buyers actually commit to. BBB is where buyers sign,” said Shawn Gagné of Groundwork BioAg.

Groundwork BioAg Targets Higher Carbon Credit Issuance

The rating comes as Groundwork BioAg looks to expand the supply of carbon removal credits generated through its Rootella Carbon programme.

The company reported an issuance of 19,568 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) in the second quarter of 2026. It is now offering forward contracts for future carbon credit inventory, targeting an estimated issuance of 245,000 tCO₂e in the next verification cycle in the first quarter of 2027.

Groundwork BioAg forecasts that issuance could reach 500,000 tCO₂e by the fourth quarter of 2027, reflecting its plans to scale the programme.

The company’s approach combines agricultural biological inputs, direct soil carbon measurement and grower participation to develop a commercial model for agricultural carbon removal. The new rating could help the programme reach corporate buyers seeking independently assessed carbon credits, although future issuance and market uptake will depend on verification outcomes and demand.

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