Carbon Neutral 2030: Getting Started on Farm
| Project start date: | 02 December 2022 |
| Project end date: | 01 February 2027 |
| Project status: | In progress |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Lamb, Grass-fed Beef |
| Relevant regions: | National, Western Australia, Mediterranean |
| Site location: | WA: South Coast Region |
Summary
This Producer Demonstration Site project aims to demonstrate the educational packages and services available to producers to meet the MLA target of carbon neutrality by 2030 and the initial practice change steps required to increase producer skills, knowledge, and uptake. Core and observer producers will be provided with support to increase their knowledge and skills on how to create a carbon baseline and an emission reduction/carbon sequestration plan. Core producers will have a carbon baseline for their business, a plan to reduce their carbon footprint and have implemented at least one practice change within the term of the project. The project will establish five demonstrations to measure the impact of implementing new practices on farm that work towards achieving carbon neutrality.
Objectives
By December 2026 in the Esperance region of Western Australia, this project will engage 10 core producers, 50observer producers and establish 5 demonstrations site to:
- Demonstrate how to create a carbon baseline and an emission reduction / carbon sequestration plan.
- 100% of core producers will have a carbon baseline for their business, a plan to reduce their carbon footprint and have implemented at least one practice change.
- 100% of observer producers willhave improved their understanding of CN30, how to work towards it, and have the confidence to start. 20% of observer producers will take action to start while 40% will have the intent to start.
- Measure the impact of practice change on the demonstration sites and produce a cost / benefit analysis.
- Publish a “Starting your CN30 journey” toolkit for WA Mediterranean zone producers to follow, including 6 case studies.
Progress
The “Emissions Intensity – Getting Started on Farm” Producer Demonstration Site project is based in Esperance WA and led by grower group ASHEEP & BEEF. The project commenced in March 2023 and will run for 4 years concluding in 2027.
The aim of the project is to demonstrate the educational packages and services available to producers to improve emission intensity and the initial practice change steps required.
Each of the five demonstration sites have completed a carbon calculator annually and selected an emission-reducing strategy to implement and monitor throughout the project. These strategies include reduced lamb turn-off time, reduced sheep flock age and ewe size, earlier stock turn off time, improved pastures and pasture utilisation, and tree planting to increase sequestration.
The 2025 demonstration site progress reports have highlighted what can be achieved with improved seasonal conditions. One site increased its stocking rate by 200% with improved pastures and rotational grazing. Another site plans to sell lambs one month earlier due to improved pastures utilization. We look forward to seeing how these changes affect emissions and emission intensity in the 2026 calculators.
For more information, visit the ASHEEP & BEEF project page at www.asheepbeef.org.au/cn30onfarm. The site includes a toolkit developed by the PDS to a help farmers understanding emissions and how to get started. The document provides easy to read information on carbon accounting and completing a carbon calculator.
The project is managed by ASHEEP & BEEF project facilitator Jan Clawson and consultant Richard Brake of Richard Brake Consulting.
