Congrats on filing your fields!

Your payment for any credits you generate will be sent after the credits have been verified and issued by the registry and sold by Indigo Ag, which we expect will occur roughly a year after the filing deadline.

Carbon by Indigo is the only large-scale carbon program with registry issued credits, which buyers are seeking to purchase. To drive the highest demand and prices with buyers, our program has set high standards of scientific rigor. It takes more time to review the records and have the analysis verified by a third party, but the wait is worth it.

When you filed your field(s), they were reviewed by Indigo Ag to ensure enough information was provided to determine the credits generated. This is just the first step; there are still more steps that take place before you get paid.

Next up is soil sampling for select fields. It takes about 3 months to sample fields and get the results back from the labs. Indigo Ag takes the approach of using soil samples and an industry-leading biogeochemical model to calculate credits, to ensure the highest accuracy and maximize payments for growers.

Once soil sample results are received from the labs, we run our industry-leading model for the sampled fields to calculate credits generated. Because soil sampling every field in Carbon by Indigo would be cost-prohibitive, we use an algorithm to determine credits for non-sampled fields, where the fields are grouped with sampled fields based on similarities (soil, weather, management characteristics).

We then package all the information and (3) send it to an independent, third-party verifier to review. We send field records, countless pages of supporting documentation, soil sample results, and model results from tens of thousands of fields. The number of fields and information keeps growing year over year. This takes about a month to package and send.

The verifier then takes around 6 months to review all this information and Indigo Ag’s calculation of credits. Indigo Ag and the verifier discuss and work through any questions during this time such as questions about the field information, our model, or how we performed the soil sampling. Employees from the verifier will also go out and visit a handful of randomly selected fields to talk to the growers about the information they provided, similar to an auditor.

Once the verifier has completed their review and approved Indigo Ag’s report, the verifier submits a final verification report to the registry for approval. The registry then reviews the verification report and completes the verification process. At that point, they issue the credits to Indigo Ag, and we can sell the credits to buyers.

In short, below are the steps Indigo Ag facilitates to determine credits generated and your payment.

After you file your fields:

Then Indigo Ag pays you!

The program is always evolving, helping you earn more for your operation. Any new eligibility additions to cash crop or practice changes will need a model update and collaboration with the verifier. All timing above is approximate.