Soy certification expands opportunities in the carbon and food market
The low-carbon soy certification developed by Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Company) can open up space in the carbon credit market in Brazil, as well as adding value and quality to the food industry through the seal.
The demand for carbon credits has increased in recent years due to factors such as various government policies and regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Brazil, however, the regulation of the carbon market is still in progress and there is a lack of models for accounting and recording effective emissions.
The country is seen as having great potential for expansion in this sector, mainly due to its capacity to generate credits and low emission certification for crops produced in the country. The prospect is that this market will have an impact on several industries and production chains.
Roberta Monteiro, head of research at Embrapa Soja, highlights the development of the certification protocol for soy, which could impact the regulated carbon credit market.
"This protocol brings together sustainable practices that can be used in soy production, stimulating productivity while preserving the environment," he told CNN Brasil.
The focus of the certificate is to consolidate good and mandatory practices that impact the reduction of emissions with a well-executed direct planting system, respecting the principles of the system.
In addition, the use of nitrogen fertilizer does not occur in soybeans that will receive this seal.
Certification should promote the accounting of credits arising from low greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the consolidation of the carbon market in Brazil.
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Certification in the industry
For the industry, the idea is that products made from certified soy will start using the low gas emission seal, which can consolidate brands that buy stocks certified by the Embrapa protocol.
"A refinery that needs to produce vegetable oil for sustainable fuels can buy certified soy and use that emissions report in accounting for the final product", explained the researcher.
The same goes for meat, milk, eggs and other foods. If the animal consumes soybean meal with a low carbon footprint, this reduces the total emissions of that product.
Monteiro highlights that the global trend towards environmental traceability drives certification in the food industry. "Just as currently all foods have a nutritional table, in the future they will also have to report their carbon footprint", he highlighted.
The researcher goes further and projects greater capillarity in the aviation, navigation and transport industries, which advance in international decarbonization rules.
"From 2027, there will be requirements related to the incorporation of vegetable oil and other sustainable raw materials in fuels. But it is not enough to just use vegetable oil: it will be necessary to prove the carbon footprint of that input", highlighted the expert.
Certification in the field
For the certification developed by the company, the producer must provide primary property data, such as fuel consumption, pesticides, fertilizers and mechanized operations. All items have an associated carbon footprint and are included in the accounting.
"The fewer inputs used, the lower the emissions. And the higher the productivity, the more these emissions will be diluted per ton produced. Therefore, it is essential that a low-carbon soybean producer has high productivity", said the researcher.
The producer must comply with a series of mandatory requirements, such as having a regularized property, without environmental embargoes, and cannot practice fires, for example.
"All of this is accounted for in the protocol. The more sustainable practices the producer adopts, the more favorable his certification result will be", he stressed.
Next, emissions are calculated based on property data and soil samples are collected to verify the carbon stored. The process is part of proving the activity with good practices.
After this evaluation, the results are compared with a regional model, which represents the average of practices used by producers in that region. If the farm has emissions lower than the regional reference, it can obtain the seal.
"We carry out laboratory analyzes to check whether this carbon is actually stored there. It's like a blood test: there's no point in saying you don't consume sugar if the test shows otherwise", explained Monteiro.
Embrapa is already working on similar protocols for other production chains, such as wheat, meat, milk, corn, sorghum, coffee, cotton, melon, cashew and rice.
These products can be sold nationally and internationally with detailed information about their carbon footprint, meeting the demands of consumers and global markets.
The expectation, according to the researcher, is that, in the coming months, the markets will speculate about more incisive news about the phenomenon, which could bring different effects to different producing regions.
Carbon market in the world
Worldwide, according to the International Carbon Action Partnership, emissions trading systems generated a record US$79 billion in revenue in 2025.
The World Bank pointed out that global carbon pricing mechanisms raised around US$102 billion in 2024, driven mainly by the expansion of regulated markets, such as China and the European Union.
Today, the regulated carbon market, which includes systems such as the European Union and China, generates hundreds of billions of dollars a year. Recent estimates point to a global value close to US$880 billion to US$1 trillion in 2025.
The global carbon credits market was estimated to be worth US$886.7 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$6.1 billion in 2033, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.9% from 2026 to 2033.
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Source: CNN