428 John Gilliland - Why a top UK regen farmer hasn't sold his carbon yet

Fifth-generation farmer John Gilliland, a pioneer in regenerative agriculture from Northern Ireland, refuses to sell his carbon credits despite being certified carbon negative—because he doesn't trust the current voluntary carbon market. He argues that the market’s structure is fundamentally flawed: the same entities that verify carbon removal also act as judges and juries, creating a conflict of interest. Gilliland, who measures soil health down to one meter deep and uses aerial LIDAR for precision, insists that accurate, independent Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) is non-negotiable. His farm, a living lab with 250-year-old woodland suffering from lack of animal presence, proves that soil health is not just about carbon—it’s about resilience, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity. He reveals that 80% of his farm’s carbon is stored in soil, not trees, and that silvopasture systems outperform monocultures in drought, flood, and storm resilience. His message to investors? Stop chasing quick wins. Focus on long-term partnerships with land managers who measure rigorously, use science, and prioritize transparency over hype. The real crisis, he says, isn’t food production—it’s the failure to translate scientific knowledge into on-farm action. Gilliland’s core insight: regenerative farming isn’t about reducing yields—it’s about increasing resilience.