Science & Methodology
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 Overview
What we measure and how.
Hypocotyl calculates carbon intensity (CI) as total greenhouse gas emissions per unit of crop produced, expressed as kg CO₂ equivalent per kg of grain (kg CO₂e / kg grain).
The methodology is built on life cycle assessment (LCA) principles, applied to the agricultural production system from input manufacture through to the farmgate. It is designed to produce results that are comparable, traceable, and fit for commercial and regulatory use.
We use an LCA-based approach rather than simpler carbon footprinting tools because the boundary structure and allocation methodology matter for agricultural systems. Using recognized frameworks ensures our outputs are compatible with downstream reporting and program requirements.
Functional Unit
kg CO₂e / kg grain
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
- Life Cycle Assessment (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 define what is included and what is excluded explicitly. The boundary is stated on every CI 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 — With Rationale
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
Completeness is reported. Assumptions are disclosed.
Every CI score includes a data completeness percentage that reflects how much of the CI calculation is based on actual farm-reported data versus methodology defaults and assumptions.
Where farm data is unavailable, we apply conservative published default values and flag them explicitly. A score based on 95% actual data is not equivalent to one based on 60% — and we do not present them as if they were.
Confidence ranges are calculated based on data completeness, input uncertainty, and emission factor variance. These are stated as a ± range on the final CI score.
Data Completeness Tiers
90–100%
High confidence
All major emission sources covered by farm-reported data.
70–89%
Medium confidence
One to two sources estimated from defaults. Clearly flagged.
50–69%
Lower confidence
Multiple estimated sources. Score is directional, not high-precision.
<50%
Indicative only
Score should not be used for procurement or program purposes without additional data collection.
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.
Methodology Disclaimer
The Hypocotyl carbon intensity methodology is under active development. Emission factors, boundary decisions, and allocation approaches may be revised as scientific standards mature, new data becomes available, and regulatory requirements in Canada and internationally become clearer. All output documents carry a methodology version reference. Hypocotyl does not guarantee that CI scores produced under one version will be directly comparable to scores produced under a subsequent version without recalculation. Users relying on CI data for commercial or regulatory purposes should confirm which methodology version applies to their context.
Questions about the methodology?
Our team is available to walk through the technical details with your science, procurement, or regulatory teams.