P.PSH.1322 - Casino Food Co-op CN30 Innovation Program

Summary

This project evaluated opportunities for Casino Food Co-op and its 707 producer members to reduce supply chain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the red meat industry’s CN30 target. The primary objective was to identify scientifically robust, cost-effective carbon abatement strategies—particularly soil carbon sequestration—that are feasible for small-to-medium producers and scalable across the Casino Food Co-op supply chain. The project involved carbon footprinting of 25 member farms and the processing facility, assessment of carbon methods for accounting removals, pilot testing of soil carbon sampling and modelling across five farms, and natural capital mapping.

The farm-level product carbon footprint (CF) ranged from 11.1 to 16.7 kg CO₂-e kg LW-1 for member farms and 13.1-14.6 kg CO₂-e kg LW-1 for the whole supply chain over the three years of assessment, averaging slightly above the national baseline. Supply chain modelling showed boxed beef emissions of 13.5, 33.0 and 30.5 kg CO₂-e kg beef-1  for the supply chain over three years. FullCAM modelling predicted soil carbon sequestration rates of 0.3 to 1.2 t C/ha/yr on the pilot farms. However, high soil organic carbon variability limited detection of change through sampling alone. To address this, the project developed a soil management zone approach with modelling and targeted soil testing, as part of an insetting framework based on ISO 14064.

The project developed a three-tier environmental credentials program (Bronze, Silver, Gold membership) that combines spatial mapping, GHG accounting, and natural capital assessments to quantify and improve performance, supporting brand development and customer engagement for beef and hides. This approach enables cost-effective, verifiable sustainability claims and provides a scalable model for other red meat supply chains. Future research should focus on improving modelling for regenerative practices, validating remote MRV tools, and enhancing producer engagement through streamlined extension and data systems.

Objectives

•    Identify scientifically robust and practical soil and vegetation carbon methods suitable for small producers.
•    Complete a supply chain carbon footprint, including 25 member farms and the Casino processing facility.
•    Pilot soil carbon measurement, modelling and natural capital assessment across five farms.
•    Develop a tiered, scalable environmental credentials program with clear market and supply chain alignment.

Key findings

Carbon footprint analysis of 25 member farms found emissions ranged from 11.1 to 16.7 kg CO₂-e kg LW-1, with an average of 13.6 kg—slightly above the national average (13.1 kg CO₂-e kg LW-1). Enteric methane was the dominant emission source. Full supply chain modelling revealed a carbon footprint of 10.4 to 11.2 CO2 e kg LW 1 for grain-finished cattle while grass finished cattle had a product CF of 13.1-14.6 CO2 e kg LW 1 across the years assessed. Total boxed beef emissions ranged from 30.5–33.0 kg CO₂-e kg 1 product (2020–2024) providing a baseline for production from the total Casino Food Co-op supply chain. 

A pilot was conducted across five member farms to assess soil carbon and natural assets. FullCAM modelling showed potential soil carbon gains on four out of five pilot farms, with annualised sequestration rates ranging from 0.25 – 0.70 t C/ha/yr. 

Soil sampling revealed high SOC variability both within and between paddocks, resulting in challenges to determine changes in soil carbon using testing and statistical methods. Variability and sampling costs were managed through establishing a program with soil management zones and focusing testing only on zones with high potential for soil carbon change, based on desktop and site evaluation and modelling predictions.  Natural capital assets including forest cover, riparian management, pasture management and biodiversity indicators were assessed using a custom desktop mapping product with ground truthing, which was able to quantify and track management of natural assets across the farms, with potential for scalability across the full supplier base. 

Based on the pilot program learnings, a tiered environmental credentials program (Bronze, Silver, Gold) was developed, combining spatial mapping, product carbon footprinting and natural capital assessments, offering market-aligned and verifiable sustainability claims.

Benefits to industry

•    Provides a scientifically credible, ISO-aligned pathway for supply chain carbon abatement without the need for formal ACCUs, reducing cost and complexity for producers.
•    Demonstrates how natural capital metrics and soil carbon modelling can underpin market-facing environmental credentials.
•    Offers a replicable model for red meat co-operatives and supply chains seeking to align with CN30 while supporting small-scale, regenerative producers.

MLA action

MLA will build on the foundations delivered through the ambitious target of carbon neutrality by 2030 (CN30), and will continue to balance investments across carbon storage, emissions avoidance, and integrated management to deliver a range of tools that enable producers to improve their net emissions position whilst creating the opportunity to access high-value market segments, pursue new revenue opportunities and drive operational efficiencies

Future research

•    Advance soil carbon insetting frameworks by validating remote-sensing-based MRV systems and predictive models (e.g. Downforce, machine learning approaches).
•    Calibrate soil carbon models like FullCAM for regenerative practices including multi-species pastures, biologics, and hydrological interventions.
•    Expand extension programs to build producer capacity in carbon literacy, soil management, and data reporting—leveraging predictive tools to reduce input burden.