About carbon and emissions
To understand why so much work is underway to better understand and reduce heat trapping greenhouse gas emissions, please watch this short video summary
Our farming systems produce valuable food and fibre for growing local and global markets. As a less desirable by-product, our farms also produce greenhouse gas emissions, mostly in the form of methane (mainly from ruminant livestock) and nitrous oxide (mostly from nitrogen fertilisers used in excess or from animal waste). Our farms are also valuable stores of carbon and can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via trees, biomass and soils.
In Australia the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration on farms is a fast developing area of interest. There are many areas where reductions of emissions can result in on-farm productivity gains, particularly through minimisation of lost energy from the farm system. Understanding how the management of carbon and emissions influences productivity and profitability is important for the future of farming.
As our food and fibre markets, supply chains and importers look to reduce their emissions, there will be an increasing focus on the emissions of the products purchased from our farms, which is why we need to actively reduce our emissions.
Understanding carbon and emissions can help Victorian agriculture to:
- capitalise on growing market demand for primary produce that can demonstrate improved and improving emissions performance
- increase productivity through greater efficiencies and new technologies – producing more food and fibre with less emissions and waste
Carbon tools and greenhouse gas calculators for agriculture
Information on these pages outlines on-farm greenhouse gas accounting tools and resources.
Making cent$ of carbon and emissions on-farm
Find out more about carbon and emissions on-farm in our Making Cents of Carbon and Emissions on-farm booklet. Order your copies online today.
Soil Carbon Science Snapshot
Find out the latest on soil carbon via this new Soil Carbon Snapshot booklet that contains over 70 references on important soil carbon research.
Questions for farmers to consider before selling the carbon from their trees and soils
Selling the carbon that is embedded in your farm’s vegetation or soils may offer some possible income, however there are also some important issues to consider for the longer term. Find out the right questions to ask before selling carbon.
Introduction to soil carbon eLearn
This soil carbon eLearn module provides key information about soil carbon. By Building knowledge of soil carbon it will help provide an understanding of the potential mitigation options in managing climate change on-farm.
On-Farm Emissions Action Planning Pilot
This three year Pilot will work with up to 250 farm businesses across Victoria to estimate their on-farm emissions profile and identify actions to manage and reduce emissions while maintaining productivity and profitability. Find out more at the On-Farm Emissions Pilot frequently asked questions.