Posted by on
14/10/2022
Agriculture is in the spotlight as an industry with enormous potential to contribute to, and capitalise from, reducing its carbon footprint – yet for our farmers on the ground, the public advice can be overwhelming and potentially confusing.
Carbon Farming and Carbon Neutral Agriculture Workshops
Aiming to declutter the carbon conversation, and help build knowledge on the fundamentals of carbon in farming, Rabobank is hosting a nation-wide suite of Carbon Farming and Carbon Neutral Agriculture Workshops across regional Australia, including North Queensland.
Beef producers Katherine and Sandy Warby of “Phillip Creek” north of Tennant Creek attended a recent workshop held in Alice Springs, and said they were extremely grateful for the opportunity.
“We had very little knowledge on the subject, it’s such a new and evolving field," Katherine said.
“Having been approached a number of times by carbon farming companies, we’ve never had enough of an understanding to make an informed decision.”
Katherine believed the workshop delivered the exact basic knowledge they sought, and the fact it was delivered face-to-face within their wider-region was a great benefit.
“I really enjoyed the fact that Rabobank staff were also included, and that we were all in the same boat, learning the foundations of such a complex issue together, in a really inclusive, non-intimidating and interactive environment.”
Having felt a huge amount of pressure to ‘sign-up’ to schemes, fearing a missed opportunity, Katherine said the workshop eased their minds, and they now both feel comfortable taking their time to become well-informed before they rush into any carbon decisions.
“The workshop has been a huge benefit to us personally, by helping us better understand the basics of carbon farming, and as a business we now realise the opportunities that may lie ahead, which is exciting now that it’s not such a daunting subject.”
Presented by Dr Stephen Wiedemann, Principal Research Scientist (PhD, B. Rural Science (Hons 1), the Queensland workshops will be held in Roma and Charters Towers over coming months.
The RaboTruck will also visit Kilcummin for a sustainability themed presentation on November 1.
Understanding the basics
Crawford Taylor, Rabobank Head of Sustainable Business Development, said the workshops provided an opportunity to lay the foundation for farmers and staff in understanding the pathways towards a low emission, or potentially carbon neutral, farm business.
“There is plenty of discussion around the agricultural industry’s ability to sell carbon credits to other industries for diversification of farm income, or whether producers should focus on their own carbon emissions. Our clients are curious as to how they fit in,” Crawford says.
“Before farmers consider their options, a thorough understanding of their greenhouse gas emissions is key, and strategically imperative for a farm business.”
As such, the workshops provide an opportunity for clients – armed with their own detailed on-farm data – to measure their carbon emissions footprint using the Greenhouse Accounting Framework developed by the University of Melbourne.
“Farms are a source of emissions, whether it’s through livestock or cropping, and they can also sequester and be a sink for carbon through vegetation,” Crawford explains. “The completion of the carbon calculator enabled clients to obtain an understanding of where they sit.”
Moving forward, together
“We ran various spreadsheets to determine the status of individual properties, which prompted more in depth discussions on how these properties can lower their emissions, and their future options,” Crawford continues.
“There is an inevitable imperative for agriculture to start working towards the low emissions production systems, with most supply chains targeting this by 2030.”
“While many farmers are aware of the imperative, they are unaware of how to move forward.”
Identifying opportunity
“Increasingly local and global agribusiness, and food and beverage companies are adopting sustainability commitments which include lowering, or achieving, net neutral carbon emissions in their supply chains.”
“This will mean greater collaboration with producers, who hold the keys to sustainability data from the ground up, and have the potential to implement investments and practice change.”
Global food and beverage companies marketing lower or greenhouse gas neutral products, such as beef and beer, exemplify new opportunities for Australian producers, Crawford says.
For more information on Rabobank’s carbon farming and carbon neutral workshops please call your local Rabobank branch.
