For centuries, farmers have been striving for more sustainable farming systems – and now they can profit from it.
A quick history lesson on Australian farming
Australia’s farming has seen many changes over the past 65,000 years. From a long history of Indigenous Australian farming practices specifically targeted at adapting to the harsh Australian climate, to the introduction of European farming methods which focussed on large-scale livestock management, wool production & cropping (just to name a few…).
Whilst there is a tendency to put labels on certain farming practices, such as “conventional” & “regenerative” farming, at the end of the day, farmers have always striven for more sustainable and productive agricultural systems. And with the introduction of a carbon market, Aussie farmers can now profit from their land stewardship.
First things first – building an optimal production system is key
Farming practices, such as broadacre cereal cropping & continuous grazing management, see year-on-year yields and have, in the past, been argued to be a safer financial bet than regenerative agriculture practices. However, with drought and other extreme weather events rearing their heads, as well as growing market prices for more sustainably farmed products, regenerative agriculture is beginning to show better yields.
We are seeing more and more Australian farming businesses beginning to bring regenerative practices into their farm management plans, to enhance the health of their soils, crops & paddocks. However, whilst the label “regenerative farming” has only been coined in the last few decades, it’s important to remember that nurturing the land for optimal and more sustainable production has always been at the forefront of farmers’ minds.
As Mulloon Institute’s CEO Carolyn Hall states in a recent ABC article:
When we think about land stewardship, it’s all about looking after the land, it’s caring for the land, which is naturally what farmers do.
Aim: The regenerative farming framework aims to actively rebuild the farm’s systems to a state of continual health.
Goal: The key goal in adopting new practices under this method is to improve resilience. Resilience means the landscape is cushioned from the impact of external forces, including:
- Extreme weather events
- Long-term climate variability
- Diseases
- Pests
By implementing practices that improve landscape health, you can also improve local biodiversity and build resilience in local communities.
Carbon credits…the cherry on top
With the introduction of the carbon market, Australian farmers can now profit from building carbon in their soils, revegetating their farms and improving local biodiversity with carbon credits they receive from undertaking a carbon farming project.
Quick recap… What is carbon farming?
Carbon farming is the practice of storing carbon (CO2e) in the landscape, specifically in vegetation and soil. There are a variety of carbon farming methods that you can integrate into your existing farming operation. The CFF work in these three methods:
- Environmental planting to store carbon in trees
- Changing property management to store soil carbon
- Enhancing a plantation forests to prolong carbon storage
And what are carbon credits?
The Australian carbon market was set up to provide incentives for businesses to adopt new farming practices and technology to offset their on-farm emissions. Australian carbon farming projects need to be registered under a methodology, such as those created by the ERF, to generate a financial return in the form of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).
The beauty of a carbon farming project is that you can profit from implementing farming techniques that have the potential to increase on-farm productivity and soil health. It also opens the gate for farming businesses to offset their overall carbon emissions and get closer to carbon neutrality.
How can the CFF help?
The CFF think that farmers should be rewarded for continually progressing towards more sustainable and efficient production and ultimately for leading the world towards net-zero.
We help farmers integrate carbon crops into an existing farming operation. Getting carbon flowing through an existing farm system is a huge opportunity to achieve carbon neutrality, boost a farm’s bottom line and enhance the productivity of soils, crops, and paddocks. Learn more about our services here.
Ready to find out more?
Explore our range of educational resources in our Carbon Farming Education Hub where we frequently publish educational articles, webinars, and guidebooks.
When you’re ready to explore the feasibility of undertaking a carbon project on your property, email us at hello@carbonfarming.org.au or give us a bell at (08) 6835 1140 to be connected with one of our project facilitators.
