Carbon from the ground up

Can regenerative farming really put more carbon back into the soil?

Recorded live at Groundswell 2026, Mark Brooking, regenerative farming expert and former Chief Impact Officer at First Milk, is joined by Annie Leeson, CEO and co-founder of Agricarbon, to explore why measuring soil carbon matters and what the latest evidence is beginning to tell us.

Six years ago, First Milk and Agricarbon began working together to build a robust baseline for soil carbon across First Milk farms. Now, following the first remeasurement work, they’re starting to see how those soils have changed alongside the adoption of regenerative farming practices.

Mark and Annie discuss the initial results from three farms, where soil carbon increased over the measurement period, and why expanding that evidence base will be important in understanding the relationship between regenerative farming practices and carbon sequestration.

They also explore why soil carbon matters beyond carbon itself, from water-holding capacity and drought resilience to nutrients and nature, and how better measurement could ultimately help farmers demonstrate the impact of the changes they are making on farm.

Whether you're a farmer, adviser or simply interested in the evidence behind regenerative agriculture, this episode offers a fascinating look at what happens when we start measuring change beneath our feet.

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