The Carbon Farming Outreach Program has been developed alongside farming system and grower focused groups to support farmers, land managers and independent advisors to get carbon farming – and not be afraid of it!
It can be a confusing and constantly changing space that many Australian farmers and land managers, whilst they know is important in their futures, are hesitant to jump into.
It is clear that farmers will need to know how to measure and reduce on-farm emissions to successfully operate their businesses in the future ‘net zero’ economy. In the video below Professor Richard Eckard, lead of the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre, outlines why it is important for farmers to be part of the conversation.
The good news is that good farm management equals increased carbon efficiency, productivity and profitability.
Knowing the emissions profile of your business puts you in the driver seat – understanding what levers you could pull to improve efficiency, and what your options and opportunities might be in carbon and environmental markets.
Getting Started with Carbon Farming
The Carbon Farming Outreach Program is here to help farmers start crunching the numbers and support the decision making and build the capacity of advisors to provide clear and trusted advice to their clients looking to reduce their emissions and store carbon.
- Know your number – There are a number of Carbon emission calculators available online which enable you to calculate the emission’s profile of your farming business. Red Meat producers may already be familiar with the MLA Carbon Calculator which can be accessed via the myMLA portal or used anonymously without a login. Others may be aware of other calculators such as Ruminati and the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre’s Greenhouse Accounting Frameworks (GAF) Tool.
- Understand your number – what are the features of your business which drive your emission’s profile? What could you change to improve it?
- Find out what your options are – Reflect on your business goals and seek out some help to explore your options for reducing emissions and storing carbon on farm.
Once you know and understand your emission’s number in your farming business you can start identifying management practices which can be implemented to increase on-farm efficiencies and the other options are available as you in your respective system.
You don’t need to go it alone – the Carbon Farming Outreach Program is here to support farmers, land managers and advisors in this space and we are here to help you on the journey.
Carbon Accounting - Your Options Moving Forward Factsheet
Holbrook Landcare Network has previously developed a useful Carbon Accounting Factsheet through our Holbrook Sustainability Benchmarking Pilot. This is a great resources to help you identify options and opportunities you can explore for your farming business.
Once you’ve completed your carbon account you may be able to…
- Explore options to increase on-farm efficiencies and productivity.
- Leverage a low-emissions profile to access financial incentives.
- Access business or product accreditations or certifications… [Read more here]
Exploring Carbon opportunities
Policy is shifting towards the use of market-based systems, rather than grants , to achieve environmental change through the market exchange of credits. Environmental markets are relatively young but are developing fast.
To get started there are a few key tools and websites to visit:
The Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme (ACCU’s) is the regulated Carbon credit market in Australia. https://cer.gov.au/schemes/australian-carbon-credit-unit-scheme
PlanR (https://planr.gov.au/) is the Australian Government’s tool that is available to explore your carbon and biodiversity opportunities under the Clean Energy Regulator.
The LOOC-C Tool (https://looc-c.farm/) is a tool developed by CSIRO to explore landscape options and opportunities for carbon abatement that can help estimate the potential for soil carbon sequestration on your property.
Not eligible or interested in Carbon? To explore other options for financially supporting environmental projects click here
You can reach out to the team here at Holbrook Landcare Network to get you started! Give us a call on 02 60363181 or email us [email protected]
Why do we need carbon farming and where do farmers fit?
It’s an important question to be asking. The video below featuring Professor Richard Eckard, lead of the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre, highlights the essential role of farmers and the importance of ensuring they are in a position where they know what the industry’s emission’s targets are, where they are coming from and what options are there for them to respond practically on-farm to reduce their greenhouse gas footprint.
Lead and Regional Project Partners
The Carbon Farming Outreach Program is lead nationally by the Grower Group Alliance, with FarmLink Research Ltd. as the NSW Lead.
Region partners included in the delivery of the Carbon Farming Outreach Program are AMPS Research Inc., Central West Farming Systems, CSU Cool Soils Initiative, FarmLink Research Ltd., Holbrook Landcare Network, Irrigation Farmers Network Ltd., Irrigated Research & Extensions Committee, Monaro Farming Systems CMC Inc., NSW DPI, Southern Growers and Tablelands Farming Systems.
This project is being delivered with funding support from the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, under the Carbon Farming Outreach Program in collaboration with Grower Group Alliance.