Science-first carbon intensity. Transparent by design.
Our methodology draws from recognized LCA and agricultural emissions accounting frameworks. Every boundary is defined, every assumption is logged, and every output includes an explicit confidence statement.
Methodology
What we measure
Hypocotyl calculates carbon intensity (CI) as total greenhouse gas emissions per unit of crop produced, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent per bushel (kg CO₂e / bushel).
Our methodology is built on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) principles, applied to the entire agricultural production system. It's designed to produce results that are comparable, traceable, and fit for commercial and regulatory use.
Functional Unit
kg CO₂e / bushel
Carbon intensity per unit of crop produced at the farmgate. Allows comparison across farms, regions, and time periods regardless of field size or yield.
Approach
- LCA aligned methodology
- ISO 14040/14044 framework principles applied
- Attributional LCA approach for agricultural systems
- Consistent with IPCC emission factor categories
- Aligned with GHG Protocol agricultural guidance
System Boundary
Cradle-to-farmgate
We explicitly define what is included or excluded on every output
Included
Fuel combustion
Diesel and gasoline for all on-farm machinery operations
Nitrogen fertilizer manufacture
Upstream emissions from fertilizer production (Scope 3 upstream)
N₂O field emissions
Direct and indirect N₂O from nitrogen application — typically the largest single source
Other input manufacture
Herbicide, fungicide, seed production where data supports estimation
On-farm energy use
Electricity and propane for grain drying, irrigation, and facility operations
Carbon stock changes
Soil organic carbon changes estimated where field data is available (flagged in output)
Excluded
Downstream transport
Post-farmgate logistics are buyer-controlled and outside producer scope. Excluded from CI score; may be estimated separately.
Processing and manufacturing
Value chain activities beyond the farmgate boundary. Relevant for food company full lifecycle assessments, not farm-level CI.
Capital goods amortization
Farm equipment, buildings, and infrastructure. Typically <2% of total CI for grain crops; excluded to reduce input complexity.
Land use change
Historical LUC events excluded from the CI score. Noted as a limitation where potentially relevant.
Disclaimer
Boundary decisions involve trade-offs between precision and practicality. All exclusions are disclosed in output documents. Users should not compare scores that use different boundary definitions.
Emission Factors
Sourced from recognized scientific literature
Every emission factor has a reference. We do not use proprietary or undisclosed emission coefficients.
Fuel Combustion
- —ECCC National Inventory Report (Canada)
- —IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Vol. 2 (Energy)
- —Province-specific grid emission factors where applicable
Fertilizer Manufacture (N)
- —Ecoinvent database (version 3.x) — urea, ammonium nitrate, UAN
- —IFA/FAO fertilizer lifecycle data where available
- —Version-controlled with update log
N₂O Field Emissions
- —IPCC 2006 Tier 1 emission factors for direct and indirect N₂O
- —Region-specific factors applied where national guidance supports
- —Represents largest single emission source for most grain farms
Other Inputs
- —Ecoinvent database for herbicide, fungicide, micronutrient manufacturing
- —Seed production emission factors from peer-reviewed LCA literature
- —Flagged as lower confidence in output where specific data unavailable
Grid Electricity
- —Provincial grid emission factors (Environment and Climate Change Canada)
- —Updated annually with new NRI release
- —Relevant for grain drying and irrigation in electrified operations
Carbon Stock / SOC
- —IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Vol. 4 (Agriculture, Forestry, Land Use)
- —Applied only where farm practice data supports estimation
- —Flagged separately in output with explicit confidence statement
Data quality
Every input is labelled by how it was sourced
Hypocotyl tags every input behind a carbon intensity (CI) score with a data quality tier. The tier records how the number was sourced, from a published estimate to a direct system feed, and it travels with the score.
A single score can mix tiers. A field might pull fuel from a connected farm system and estimate one fertilizer rate from a published default. Each input keeps its own tier, and the lowest tiers are flagged.
Data quality tiers
Tier 1 · Estimated
Filled from published default values where farm data is unavailable. Flagged in the score and treated as directional.
Tier 2 · Self-reported
Reported by the farm, without supporting documentation.
Tier 3 · Evidenced
Reported by the farm and backed by supporting records, such as receipts or application logs.
Tier 4 · System-sourced
Pulled directly from a farm management system or API integration.
Methodology Governance
Versioned, transparent, and evolving.
Agricultural carbon science is developing rapidly. Emission factors are updated as research advances. Program requirements change. Regulatory standards are emerging.
Hypocotyl's methodology is versioned. Every CI output references the methodology version under which it was calculated. Historical scores remain auditable under their version. Updates are documented in a public change log.
Version control
Every methodology release has a version number and effective date. CI scores reference the version used.
Change documentation
All changes to emission factors, boundaries, or allocation methods are documented in a transparent change log.
Historical auditability
A CI score calculated under v1.2 remains auditable under v1.2 even after methodology updates.
External alignment
Methodology is reviewed against updates to IPCC guidance, GHG Protocol agriculture guidance, and Canadian federal program requirements.
Questions about the methodology?
Our team is available to walk through the technical details with your science, procurement, or regulatory teams.