Graeme Anderson - Climate Extension Specialist

Carbon & Farming …..

•2003 - Emission Trading options discussed by

Fed Govt but not progressed

•2007 - Howard Govt took ETS proposal to election

•2009 - Rudd Govt CPRS proposal

•2011 - Gillard & minority govt “Clean Energy

Future” or “Carbon Tax” legislation debate

underway now and beyond????

Carbon Price (brewing for a while……)

What are they trying to do to us?

?#?%?#?

State of play for emission trading:

Over time an ETS aims to create a wedge between GDP, energy use and CO2

emissions…….

This graph shows response to oil price rises in 1970’s

and how the economy responded………

Can we grow our economy,

flatten energy use,

& reduce emissions?

But why all the fuss about Carbon (CO2)?

????

Outer Stratosphere is cooling

The John Tyndal story…

….CO2 & greenhouse gases trap “heat”

Troposphere is warming

(under greenhouse blanket)

Hard Physics - the atmosphere – Changes to our energy balance

(incoming versus outgoing)

The instrumental record – land/sea temperature

Each decade since 1950’s has been warmer than the previous decade

www.bom.gov.au

Temperature trends

for Victorian locations

Wangaratta Echuca

Omeo

Mildura

Laverton Wilsons Prom

Ararat

Hamilton

9 9

1. Energy story (efficiency, production, farm & supply chain)

2. Farm forests (vegetation, C-sink, farm planning, landcare)

3. Soil carbon (soil health, C-sink, organic matter, biota, whc)

4. Nitrogen efficiency (production, leakage, water quality etc)

5. Methane (animal productivity, feed, genetics etc)

(Each of these is has business benefits…)

“The 5 action areas” for farm carbon & emissions:

Farms & Energy – a growing issue:

• Farm energy approx 8% of variable costs on dairy farms

• On farm energy efficiency to tackle rising cost pressure

(retailers blame a number reasons for price rises…….)

• Energy & dairy audits & action plans

• On farm options for new energy generation

• Bio-energy/Biofuels - various future technologies

• Agriculture/forestry waste for bioenergy options

13 13

•Applied nitrogen in farming systems – can be 50% leakage

•70 – 95% of nitrogen consumed by animals is excreted

•Largest emissions when soils are wet

•Equivalent of 4 barrels of oil to produce 1 tonne of urea

Nitrogen in the farm system

Nitrous oxide management

Nitrogen fertiliser management (Spend approx $50K/farm/year)

• source, rate and timing (new coated products)

Crop / pasture management

• Reduce fallow, water use efficiency, nutrient limitation

Soil management

• Tillage, drainage and soil compaction

Animal management

• Stocking rates

• Nitrogen inhibitors (can reduce emissions by 70%)

Enteric methane - livestock

Represent a significant loss of energy

Large inefficiency in animal production

• 6 to 10% of Gross Energy Intake lost as CH4

Animal Class

Methane (kg/year)

MJ CH4 lost

/hd/day

Effective

annual grazing

days lost

Potential km driven in 6-cylinder car

Mature ewe

10 to 13 1.5 to 2.0 43 to 55 90 to 116

Beef steer 50 to 90 7.6 to 13.6 33 to 60 450 to 800

Dairy cow 90 to 146 13.6 to 22.1 25 to 40 800 to 1350

Eckard et al. 2009

Methane management

Animal numbers

– Fewer, but more productive cows

– Earlier finishing in beef; extended lactation in dairy

Breeding

– Selecting for Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE) also selects for reduced methane

– Approx 15% variation in FCE and CH4 production

Diet

– High quality feed

– Dietary oils (5-25% less methane - DGAS)

– Tannins (10-15% - DGAS)

– Different strategies for different seasons !

Soils & Carbon

•Significant stores of carbon in soils

•Traditionally can be easily lost – harder to gain

•Increase organic matter has multiple benefits, soil

biota, water holding capacity, nutrients etc

•Various pools of carbon (short to long life)

•Biochar?

•Sequestration – short term or long term?

•Consider implications soil nutrient flows

•Will be influenced by future climate & land use

Courtesy: Stock and Land 2005

Farm

Trees

Farmers are already doing many of these

things...................for practical reasons!

…….we need more research, tools and

technologies so we can do it better, and

get on with the business of profitable food

& fibre production………

Supply Chain –

implications

beyond the farm

gate??…..….

Key points:

•Federal govt Carbon Farming Initiative is VOLUNTARY

•Stay tuned for smart cookies (coated N, low-E feed, etc)

•Look closely if signing contracts for carbon storage

•Watch for implications on supply chain

•Farmers are already busy in “5 action areas” for multiple

benefits and efficiency/savings beyond carbon

•Farm production efficiency gains to be made as we get

better R&D & technologies for on-farm use

•Stay tuned & focus on the things we have control over

•Meeting global food/fibre demand

•Energy & water efficiency

•New energy generation options

•Improved soil health

•Farm trees and landcare

•Improved fertiliser efficiency

•Better livestock performance

•Healthy people & businesses

Thank You

www.dpi.vic.gov.au/climaterisk

Site has climate dog animations, seasonal climate newsletters, carbon toolkits, case studies of

farmers taking action etc…….

graeme.anderson@dpi.vic.gov.au