The TopSoil Podcast

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CI Chit Chat Ep. 63: Regenerative Farming & Carbon Markets with Carter Lantz May 05, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of CI Chit Chat, Continuum Ag CEO Mitchell Hora is joined by Carter Lantz, a fourth-generation farmer from south-central Minnesota. Over the past few years, Carter has been leading his family's transition to regenerative agriculture, adopting strip-till practices, and participating in Continuum Ag’s carbon inset projects—and the results are in.
🌱 From improving soil health to generating new revenue streams, Carter shares how their operation is seeing real benefits by focusing on sustainable practices and leveraging farm data.
🎙 Mitchell and Carter also talk about planting progress, weather challenges, and the critical role of data in the evolving food and fuel supply chain. They dive into:
- The carbon intensity (CI) of grains like corn and soybeans
- Financial incentives for regenerative practices
- The impact of Section 45Z tax credits
- Why farmer-generated data is key to mapping carbon footprints
👉 Don’t miss this conversation about what’s working on the ground and how farmers can get rewarded for their efforts.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00: Welcome
1:40: Bill Introduced to Extend 45Z
3:50: Carter Lantz Intro
9:45: Carter’s Approach With CI
18:10: Mitchell’s Take on 45Z
31:40: TopSoil Summit
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Carbon Intensity Q & A | April 17, 2025 l CI Chit Chat Episode 62 May 03, 2025

Show notes

In the 62nd episode of CI Chit Chat, Continuum Ag's CEO, Mitchell Hora, gave an update on where things are with the 45Z guidelines and a reminder to take the extra time this spring and keep good records. He also highlighted the TopSoil Summit on Tuesday, June 3rd, at the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Riverside, Iowa.
Check out the Table of Contents below for details of what you can find in this episode.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Welcome
1:10 IRS 45Z Public Comment Period Close
4:10: Changes in DC
8:05: Extending 45Z to 2034 ?
11:10: Farm Data
17:10: TopSoil Summit
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• https://www.facebook.com/continuumag
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• https://www.tiktok.com/@continuumag
• https://twitter.com/Continuum_Ag
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/continuumag

Carbon Intensity Q & A | April 8, 2025 l CI Chit Chat Episode 61 May 01, 2025

Show notes

In the 61st episode of CI Chit Chat, Continuum Ag's CEO Mitchell Hora was joined by Sales Agronomist David Hora, to unveil the newest product offering from Continuum Ag, TopSoil Connect. They also discussed the importance of farmer involvement in the 45Z program, ongoing efforts to establish rules, and the upcoming public comment period for the IRS on April 10th. They also highlighted the TopSoil Summit happening on Tuesday, June 3rd, at the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Riverside, Iowa.
Check out the Table of Contents below for details of what you can find in this episode.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Introduction
1:00 David Hora Intro
5:07 TopSoil Connect Launch
12:35 IRS Public Comment Period
21:09 RightWay Soil Sampling
21:40 TopSoil Summit
26:00 For Farmers, By Farmers
Follow us on social media!
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• https://www.tiktok.com/@continuumag
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• https://www.linkedin.com/company/continuumag

Carbon Intensity Q & A | March 25, 2024 l CI Chit Chat Episode 60 Apr 04, 2025

Show notes

In the 60th episode of CI Chit Chat, Continuum Ag's CEO Mitchell Hora recaps the recent event he went to in Washington, D.C., The Agri-Pulse Agriculture and Food Policy Summit, and talks about the importance of RightWay Soil Sampling and where he believes things are heading with 45Z.
Check out the Table of Contents below for details of what you can find in this episode.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Introduction
0:30 Carbon Intensity (CI) and 45Z
1:15 45Z Awareness
4:35 Current News of 45Z
8:05 Greet Feedstock Calculator
8:50 45Z Overview
9:25 IRS Public Comment Section
11:47 IRS Draft doesn’t speak to Feedstocks or CI Calculators
17:15 Science Based Target Initiatives (SBTI) efforts and guidance for progress
21:40 Webinar with EcoEngineers
22:20 World moving with CI scoring for easier quantification of carbon footprint
23:10 Typical process for tax credit to pass
23:40 45Z process with public support and communication with ideas and regulations
25:30 Topsoil Summit - June 3rd in Riverside, Iowa
25:50 Haney Soil Health Test
26:45 Conclusion

The Road to Verified Carbon Intensity Certificates from Continuum Ag & EcoEngineers l TopSoil Webinar Apr 03, 2025

Show notes

Learn how verified low-carbon grain can create new revenue streams for farmers.
Continuum Ag has officially issued the first-ever verified Carbon Intensity (CI) Certificates to farmers who successfully completed the inaugural CI Certification audit. These certificates represent low-carbon bushels of corn, unlocking new market opportunities—from potential 45Z tax credit incentives to private sector premiums.
Join Mitchell Hora, CEO of Continuum Ag, and Jim Ramm, PE, Vice President of U.S. Biofuels at EcoEngineers, as they break down this historic milestone and what it means for farmers and the future of CI Certification.
Here is what you will learn:
🌱 What is a Verified CI Certificate? Understanding the certification process and its impact on farmers.
📊 The Audit Process – How over 29 million verified CI Certificates were issued through an ISO 14065 audit.
💰 Market Opportunities – How verified low-carbon grain could bring financial benefits through 45Z and beyond.
🔍 The Role of EcoEngineers – Insights into the rigorous verification and MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) process.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
0:00 Introduction
2:45 Overview of Webinar
6:08 Who is EcoEngineers?
10:49 Default 29.1 Score
13:34 Recent Acquisition
17:45 ISO Protocol

Carbon Intensity Q & A | March 4, 2024 l CI Chit Chat Episode 59 Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

In the 59th episode of CI Chit Chat, Continuum Ag's CEO Mitchell Hora is joined by Continuum Ag VP Operations Carolyn King. Together, they go over the first ever verified CI Certificates through CI Certification and answer your submitted questions.
Check out the Table of Contents below for details of what you can find in this episode.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Introduction
0:19 Carbon Intensity (CI)
1:22 Industry Updates
4:40 Carolyn King Introduction
5:22 First Round of CI Certification is Completed for Farmers
8:10 Issuing out the Verified CI Certificates with 3rd Party Audit Protocol Specialists (EgoEngineers)
12:51 Audit Process for Farmers with CI Certification
15:50 Opportunity to get the Verified CI Certificates Sold
18:06 What do the Verified CI Certificates look like?
19:46 Biofuel Feedstock Reports
22:33 How many Bushels are CI Certified so far with CI Certification?
24:18 How do the CI Certificates work by different fields?
25:45 Range of CI Scores with the first round of CI Certificates
30:11 Conclusion

Digging In: Conversations with the 2024 Dirty Glove Award Winners l TopSoil Webinar Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

Continuum Ag is proud to recognize farmers who are setting the bar for soil health and sustainability with our Dirty Glove Awards—and now, you have the chance to hear directly from them in our newest TopSoil Webinar.
Listen to this special TopSoil Webinar edition, hosted by Mitchell Hora, CEO of Continuum Ag, as he sits down with our 2024 Dirty Glove Award winners to discuss their farming practices, soil health strategies, and what it took to achieve these impressive results.
During the webinar, Mitchell spends time with each farmer, diving into their on-farm experiences, conservation practices, and the impact of soil health.
Check out the Table of Contents below for details of what you can find in this episode.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
0:00 Introduction
4:46 Rick Clark (Indiana) – Winner of the Best Soil Health Award with a Haney Soil Health Score of 37.54. A leader in no-till and cover crops, Rick is redefining soil sustainability.
10:28 Josh Nelson (Iowa) – Awarded Best CO2 Burst Score with an astonishing 511.51. Josh’s strip-till, no-till, diverse cover crops, and manure applications have unlocked exceptional microbial activity.
19:45 Jaiden Bauer of Farmer’s Choice (North Dakota & Montana) – Recognized for Most Scored Bushels, helping farmers across multiple states quantify and monetize sustainable practices through Carbon Intensity (CI) Scores.
26:50 J.D. Hollingsworth (Iowa) – Achieved the Best CI Score at -23.1. With no-till, cover crops, and hog manure applications, J.D. is producing low-carbon grain and leading the way in regenerative agriculture.
35:10 CONCLUSION AND Q&A

Carbon Intensity Q & A | CI Chit Chat Episode 58 Feb 26, 2025

Show notes

In the 58th episode of CI Chit Chat, Continuum Ag's CEO Mitchell Hora goes over Continuum Ag's 3 main points for the 45Z public comment period, why farmers should participate in the 45Z public comment period, and goes over Continuum Ag's TopSoil Connect Program.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsvRPNOAtfBtlqq44RLPq2A
FOR MORE INFORMATION ➡️ https://continuum.ag
FIND YOUR CI SCORE FOR FREE AT ➡️ https://topsoil.ag

Carbon Intensity Q & A | CI Chit Chat Episode 57 Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

In the 57th episode of CI Chit Chat, Continuum Ag's COO Brad McDonald & VP of Sales Blaine Groth share their thoughts on the latest with 45Z and Carbon Intensity (CI), emphasize the importance of your farming data and why you should be preparing with it, Continuum Ag's thoughts for the Public comment period for 45Z, and answer your submitted questions.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsvRPNOAtfBtlqq44RLPq2A
FOR MORE INFORMATION ➡️ https://continuum.ag
FIND YOUR CI SCORE FOR FREE AT ➡️ https://topsoil.ag

Financing the Global Interest for Sustainability | TopSoil Webinar Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

During the TopSoil Webinar, Mitchell Hora is joined by climate finance strategist Ted Kronmiller (& Julia) to explore the latest developments in global financial markets, natural capital, and opportunities for decarbonization. Together they discuss the differences between Green bonds and carbon tax credits, the state of agriculture in Ukraine, how to get money down to the farmers for regenerative ag practices in the U.S. and in Europe, and also answer your submitted questions.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsvRPNOAtfBtlqq44RLPq2A
FOR MORE INFORMATION ➡️ https://continuum.ag
FIND YOUR CI SCORE FOR FREE AT ➡️ https://topsoil.ag

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