EarthOptics and Cquester Partner to Advance Trusted Soil Carbon Measurement at Scale

Strategic partnership combines EarthOptics carbon measurement and analysis with Cquester Analytics' pioneering soil organic matter functional analyses (e.g., POM/MAOM fractionation), providing carbon programs with a more complete, scientifically rigorous assessment of soil

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EarthOptics, a soil intelligence company, and Cquester Analytics, a pioneer of soil organic matter functional analyses, today announced a strategic partnership that brings together two of the most respected names in soil science. Together, the companies will give organizations that measure soil carbon, whether to meet sustainability and climate goals or to develop and sell carbon credits, a single, trusted path from field to lab, backed by the scientific understanding and rigor increasingly demanded by soil carbon and soil health markets.

The partnership unites complementary strengths. EarthOptics is one of the most extensive soil data and analytics companies in the United States and South America, already measuring and analyzing soil for carbon, biology, nutrients, and compaction. The partnership expands EarthOptics carbon measurement and analysis specifically, adding Cquester Analytics' deep expertise in soil organic matter quantification and characterization, including particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) fractionation. These capabilities have established Cquester as a widely recognized pioneer and one of the most trusted analytical laboratories in the carbon space.

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By pairing these capabilities, the companies are significantly expanding what mutual clients can measure and verify. POM/MAOM fractionation distinguishes carbon with distinct pathways of accrual, stabilization, and vulnerability to losses, exactly the kind of defensible, permanence-relevant evidence that carbon credit buyers are now asking for. Integrating this gold-standard laboratory measurement into large-scale carbon programs brings real scientific validity to a market that needs it.

"EarthOptics already measures soil across carbon, biology, nutrients, and compaction. With Cquester, we're going deeper on carbon, adding their pioneering fractionation to give developers and investors the defensible permanence evidence the market is asking for," says Lars Dyrud, CEO, EarthOptics.

Advancing the Science Together

Beyond day-to-day testing, EarthOptics and Cquester Analytics intend to advance the world's understanding of soil carbon and soil biology together. A shared ambition is to help establish standards for measuring soil biology and for its role in carbon and soil health programs, including the possibility of joint research. The companies see a particular opportunity in grassland soil health, where no broadly accepted standard exists today.

"The future of soil carbon depends on measurement that is both scientifically rigorous and practical at scale. It's no longer enough to know how much carbon is present—we need to understand how it functions, how stable it is, and what that means for long-term outcomes. Together with EarthOptics, we're bringing that next generation of soil science into real-world carbon and soil health programs while helping advance the standards the industry still needs," says Francesca Cotrufo, founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Cquester Analytics.

Together, EarthOptics and Cquester Analytics envision a future where rigorous soil science underpins environmental markets, regenerative agriculture, and land management decisions, making trusted soil data as foundational to natural capital as financial auditing is to capital markets.

About EarthOptics

EarthOptics is a soil intelligence company that helps farmers, ranchers, landowners, and biological and biotech organizations measure and document what is happening beneath the surface. Through one of the industry's most extensive soil sampling operations, EarthOptics analyzes soil across carbon, biology, nutrients, and compaction, including gold-standard carbon testing and DNA-based soil biology analysis, turning soil into reliable, decision-ready data. Learn more at earthoptics.com.

About Cquester Analytics

Cquester Analytics is a soil science and analytical company advancing trusted measurement of soil organic matter, soil health, and carbon. Founded by leading women scientists with decades of experience in soil organic matter research, Cquester combines scientific innovation with rigorous laboratory analyses to deliver high-quality data for regenerative agriculture, environmental markets, research, and sustainability initiatives. The company pioneered the commercial application of soil organic matter fractionation, including particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), helping clients better understand carbon stabilization, function, and permanence. Through rigorous laboratory analyses, scientific expertise, and continued innovation, Cquester is helping build the scientific foundation for the next generation of soil intelligence. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Learn more at cquesteranalytics.com.