 When plants grow, they absorb carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. That then gets incorporated into the soil through the litter or through the roots, along with the nutrients in the plant. That carbon then gets gradually made more concentrated and more stable. Soil carbon is a really good thing. We want more of it. It helps water infiltration, increases water holding capacity of soils, and improves soil nutrient delivery. So why aren't farmers maxing out on it already? It's because it's hard to do. It's easy to lose through disruption, through fire, through drought, through climate change. And it can be expensive in terms of the added nutrients or the opportunity costs associated with increasing soil carbon. So soil carbon is a really good thing. We need more of it. But let's be realistic about its role in terms of emission offsets.