Cutting Carbon Confusion

Get involved in the emerging market of Carbon Farming. Do good for your farm, your pocket & your planet.

Over the last year, carbon farming has really become a hot topic, but many of us, including growers and advisors weren’t sure what it all meant. Approached by groups across the South Coast region, South Coast NRM decided to bring together the experts in all things carbon, to assist our partners in learning more about carbon farming and carbon markets, and what it really means for our farming communities across the South Coast. On the 10th and 11th of Feb 2022, we hosted the South Coast Carbon Roadshow, to cut through all this carbon confusion! Information provided below is a summary of the event.

Page Contents

To find out more about the tools and resources available to assist you in understanding how carbon farming might work for you, visit our Carbon Tools webpage Carbon Tools — SOUTHERN SOILS

The Carbon Market

Presented by Mandy Curnow, Program Manager for the Agricultural Sectorial Emission Reduction Strategy, DPIRD.

Accounting for carbon in your farm business operations is important for many reasons, including participating in emerging low GHG favourable markets, and contributing to our global effort to mitigate climate change. To be able to do this, it’s important to understand what your farm’s carbon contribution is, and what it actually means relative to other industries. In carbon accounting the most valuable step you can take is benchmarking your Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions (see Mandy’s presentation) and use this to inform your business plan.

View Mandy’s full presentation on Carbon Accounting and informing your farm business plan here.

Carbon Trading with the ERF

Presented by Alex Cummins and Adrian Daniel, Emissions Reduction Fund, Clean Energy Regulator

All carbon projects have to be registered with the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) to be able to receive and trade Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU’s). To register with the ERF there are a number of conditions that need to be met, as well as a methodology that must be followed. You can find out more about these requirements here.

The ERF also administer certain programs including the Carbon Farming Initiative, and the Environmental Plantings Pilot.

Find out more: Carbon Farming Initiative & Environmental Plantings Pilot

There are a suite of case study videos produced by the ERF on their website, covering all different kinds of carbon projects. Follow the link to view more here.

Projects on the South Coast

Presented by Dr Geoff Woodall, Native Plant Agronomist

Geoff has assisted numerous landholders in developing carbon projects across the South Coast, and his key point is sound project planning. Carbon projects are a 25 year plus commitment so sound project planning at the beginning is integral. Consider the economics and outcomes of a carbon project within your business plan to ensure this path will be beneficial for you.

Selecting a site is really important and is generally going to be an area of low agricultural productivity, or somewhere that is difficult to access with machinery etc. Planning for environmental conditions is also something to consider. For example, Geoff recommends planting mallees to cope with fires especially if you’re likely to have regular stubble burnings.

One project Geoff has been involved in is a carbon project for North Stirling Downs, a family owned farm in the Great Southern. Check out their carbon project at their website by clicking image below.

The WA Carbon Farming & Land Restoration Program

Presented by Carla Swift, Low Carbon Futures Team, DPIRD

The WA Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program is a DPIRD administered program that will release it’s Round 2 funding in early 2022. Projects under the CF-LRP are structured into two streams, ACCU-Plus and Future Carbon. ACCU-Plus projects must deliver one or more co-benefits, these include:

  • Biodiversity and conservation

  • Agricultural productivity

  • Salinity mitigation

  • Soil health

  • Aboriginal economic and cultural opportunities

Future Carbon projects are focused on trialling, innovation and pilots. Find out more here.

Watch a webinar by the Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development on the Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program, and how to get involved.

Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot

Presented by Kylie Fletcher & Johanna Tomlinson, South Coast NRM

The South Coast NRM region has been chosen to pilot the Australian Governments Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot, an initiative which is trialing market arrangement for farmers to create new income from plantings that deliver biodiversity improvements and carbon abatement. 

The Pilot is a key part of the Australian Government’s $66.1 million Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Package and will reward farmers for the stewardship of their land, storing carbon and improving Australia’s biodiversity. 

Please note applications have now closed for this pilot.

Visit the Carbon + Biodiversity webpage to find out more about the pilot, and explore case studies from across the country.