Closing the knowledge gap on carbon management

While the Australian carbon market matures and big businesses continue to put low emissions targets in place, many Australian agricultural industry groups are working hard to build carbon acumen with farmers. While the majority of growers and producers recognise sustainability as a critical issue, there is recognition that the fast pace of carbon market development and the uptick in supply chain pressure is driving a growing knowledge gap. This knowledge is needed for growers and producers to cut through the noise and sort the opportunities from risks.

Sustainability accreditation is here in the grain industry. A 2023 survey of 160 South Australian grain growers found the majority of growers were required to commit to a sustainability standard for market access purposes. The vast majority, 64 per cent of respondents, saw sustainability as a critical issue. This sentiment is only growing with more markets wanting to know, not only, how we sustainably produce agricultural products, but also demand data to prove it.

The Pinion Advisory sustainability strategy team have been delivering a number of initiatives aimed at building carbon acumen and, further, demonstrate the sustainability credentials of our farming practices to meet market demand.

Across Victoria, the on-farm emissions action plan pilot has been providing growers and producers with the opportunity to receive one-on-one support from consultants to delve into on-farm emissions and develop strategies to reduce and/or minimise emissions. Importantly, emissions reduction does not need to come at the cost of production or profitability. However, it is difficult to identify the low-hanging fruit and opportunities without having a basic understanding of what’s going on with farm emissions in the first place.

Soon, South Australian grain growers will have similar access to support through the Grain Producers SA carbon baselining project. While this project aims to collate emissions data across the State, in the process, growers will have support to develop a carbon account plus one-on-one support and resources to understand what a bunch of numbers actually mean. Importantly, mixed farmers will be supported through this program as well.

Red meat producers, tasked with some of the heavy lifting when it comes to reducing carbon emissions across agriculture, have similar industry-driven programs on offer. Meat & Livestock Australia’s eLearning tools, the QuickStart Carbon Calculator and the 2-day workshop, Carbon EDGE, all developed with input from Pinion Advisory, are offered to producers wishing to get the no-nonsense version of achievable opportunities and address the “why bother” questions.

As the Australian agricultural scene adapts to tougher sustainability standards, it's becoming increasingly important for farmers to stay informed. These education, data capture and planning programs are not just about keeping up with regulations; they’re about empowering growers and producers to make smart, informed choices that benefit both the environment and the bottom line.