Emissions Intensity: 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, 50 observer 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 will have improved their understanding of emission intensity, how to work towards lowering 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 carbon emission journey on-farm” toolkit for WA Mediterranean zone producers to follow, including 6 case studies.
Progress
The “Emission 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 November 2022 and will conclude in November 2026. 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. The most recent calculators have shown a reduction in enteric methane, and most have reduced their emission intensity.
The exception being those that are rebuilding flock or herd numbers after two drier years, although the rises weren’t significant and remained within the Carbon Accounting Technical Manual expected range.
