“Without your efforts Australia would have no Carbon Farming Initiative and no network of amazing farmers. In no small way you will leave a legacy of nationwide land regeneration at precisely the time we, and the rest of the world, needs it. “ - John W Crawford, Judith and David Coffey Chair in Sustainable Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Sydney

The reason why we have racked up private debts of more than $500k campaigning for the last 6 years “to see the day soil carbon is traded safely and farmers paid fairly for what they sequester’’ is simply this: the prospect of a financial return from carbon farming will be enough to capture the attention of the great majority of farmers - who currently are not available to the sustainability message - for long enough for them to consider land management practice change. If they decide against it at least they have given it a fair hearing (and prepared themselves for the inevitable conversion somewhere down the line). We are promoters of trade for three reasons; 1. we believe only rapid and widespread soil sequestration has the capacity to stall global warming long enough for the global community to transition to a low carbon energy system; 2. we have a soils crisis that must be addressed for food security reasons; and 3. the profit motive is more influential and widespread in its application and rapid in its effect in changing behaviour than education and encouragement, ie. business as usual. 

We live by the principle that, if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got. The single-minded focus on soil carbon as a key performance indicator simplifies the communications and behaviour change tasks because the co-benefits inevitably follow on attempts to raise soil carbon levels (co-benefits include improved soil structure, ground cover, water efficiency, nutrient availability, buffering against drought, and biodiversity above and below the ground). Once the average farmer gets over their negativity about soil carbon and trading (the result of the relentless misinformation campaign by those who fear being made redundant by the privatisation of soil health management when the opposite will be the effect) CMAs and Landcare groups will have their work cut out for them handling the rate of enquiries. As for middlemen, every commodity market has them, they are essential, and farmers can select which program they go with. Ie. it will be competitive. As for merchant bankers making money, that can only occur if the units are on-traded by the buyer. Farmers can choose to sell only to buyers who will 'retire' them, thereby removing them from circulation. If merchant bankers are making money, it is a sign that the market is flourishing and farm landscapes are being restored at a rapid rate. 

It will not be a gold rush, as some predict. It will take at least 5 years to develop and bed down the processes required to protect the farmers' interests. That is where Carbon Farmers of Australia fits in: Advocacy, Representation, and Ethical Aggregation.

Read more.

Photosynthesis – the process that creates soil carbon – could be taking up almost 50% more CO2 than previously estimated, according to a report in Nature, the British scientific journal. An international team of scientists have reset the bar for CO2 draw down from 120 billion tonnes per year to between 150-175 billion tonne annually… between 25% and 45% increase. This would logically mean the world’s soils have even greater capacity to store carbon. But even though they have no evidence to support the contention, the researchers declare there is no increase in soil carbon sequestration. 

The report's lead researcher Lisa Welp, from the University of California's Scripps Institute of Oceanography, said: “The extra CO2 taken up as photosynthesis is most likely returned right back to the atmosphere via respiration.” The leader of the CSIRO Changing Atmosphere research group, Paul Fraser, said “it doesn't mean they hold more carbon, they (plants) probably respire faster.” “Probably?” “Most likely?” Is this based on evidence? “I'd love to be able to say it does mean that but we just don't know that, that's in the next few steps (of research),” said Dr Fraser. 

There are two possible reactions to the higher rates of photosynthesis. One is to dismiss the possibility that it means good news for those of us who believe soils have the capacity to be a secure bridge to a low carbon future. The other is to accept these findings as further proof that there is a new paradigm that suits the times. Opposition spokesman on climate action, Greg Hunt, is among the latter when he says: “ the scientific evidence has moved more strongly in favour of the enormous potential of land and agriculture-based emissions reductions.” Which do you choose: the past or the future?

Read more.

From Western Magazine:

When the first Carbon Farming conference was held five years ago, it was just a dream. Five years on and the carbon farming intiative (CFI) legislation dominated the topics at this year’s conference. Convenor Louisa Kiely, who is the director of Carbon Farmers Australia and a Goolma district farmer, said the change was amazing. “We have been able to start moving away from theory towards rewarding practice,” Mrs Kiely said. “When we started five years ago this was just a dream- can soil carbon ever be a mainstream mitigation strategy? This is a turning point- by this time next year trading will be a reality.” Mrs Kiely said the change in attitude to carbon farming was evident with some of this year’s delegates. She said there was quite a bit of interest from new exhibitors and sponsors, while farmer delegates included a mix of innovators as well as those who were finding out more. 

Speakers at the conference included federal senator Matt Thistlewaite who said the CFI would give a lot of opportunities. “By 2020 the credits created by this initiative could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars for rural and regional Australia,” he said. Senator Thistlewaite said the scheme would provide economic value for those who adopt best practice. “The aim of the scheme is not only to recognise and encourage practices existing and taking place but also to encourage further uptake in those who aren’t currently doing those practices,” he said. 

For farmer Jeremy Bradley, who has a property on the north coast of NSW, this scheme has the benefit of providing financial incentives to farmers to change to carbon friendly practices. “Carbon is the driver of soil fertility,” he said. “Everything works better with carbon and hopefully we can get paid to put it there. “If people are paid to sequester carbon it is a huge step for food security.” Mrs Kiely said that farmers do hold a lot of power in shaping the future. “It is slowly starting to sink in that soil is the largest carbon sink under the control of man and farmers control over 50 to 60 per cent of that land mass,” she said. “That makes farmers very important in the future.”

Read more.

The 19 finalists in this year’s Carbon Cocky of the Year Award all have one thing in common: they mix and match a combination of land management practices to enrich their soils. “This could explain why carbon farmers report higher rates of carbon sequestration in their soils than government research agencies that only ever study the effect of a single practice at a time,” says Michael Kiely of awards organiser Carbon Farmers of Australia. 

For example, the winners of the Carbon Cocky of the Year Award, Yass district graziers John and Robyn Ive, combine controlled grazing with water-spreading, strategic tree plantings, and soil additives (such as sewage ash and poultry manure). Braidwood grazier Martin Royds, winner of the Best Practice Award, combines grazing management, pasture cropping, and soil treatments, including Biodynamic preparations, compost teas, and worm juice. Spring Ridge mixed farmer Cam McKellar, winner of the Outstanding Leadership Award, combines direct drill, controlled traffic, fish emulsion, humates and molasses/sugar as a microbial stimulant, as well as composting and cover cropping.

This is the on-farm reality that has yet to be studied and, until it is, we must say that the science of soil carbon is not yet in. When research reports tell us our soils can only accumulate carbon at a tiny amount per year, they are actually saying ‘We can only manage to sequester this much using this one practice’. While the CSIRO has measured soil carbon increases up to 0.3tonne/hectare as the maximum possible, carbon farmers such as pasture cropping pioneer Col Seis from Gulgong have recorded increases of up to 9 tonnes/hectare using the same laboratories for analysis. It is common for skilled carbon farmers to report 2%-3% increases in soil carbon over the past decade, which included the worst drought in living memory.

Carbon Graziers often combine grazing management with pasture cropping and soil amendments. Carbon Croppers combine no-till with mulching and crop rotations, cover crops, composts, and even animals as four-legged composting units. In the 5 years the Awards have been running, a rising trend has been the adoption of on-farm composting or production of worm juice nutrients and the integration of trees in the landscape. The Ives have counted 250,000 new trees on their 250 ha property, with direct production benefits. The Carbon Cocky of the Year Award was judged by experts from the Department of Primary Industries and the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, plus last year’s winner, and presented at a gala dinner as part of the Carbon Farming Conference, 28-29 September, 2011 in Dubbo NSW.

There was a high level of innovation among the entries: “One finalist composts almond hulls and back-loads his truck with hulls for delivery as a feedstock to a feedlot where he collects manure for his composting operation. Another has invented a process called ‘delving’ which brings clays up into the top horizon of sandy soil for better carbon sequestration,” he says.

The Carbon Cocky of the Year Awards started 5 years ago with the support of the Central West and Lachlan CMAs as a means of encouraging practices that promote soil health. This year the Awards attracted entries from Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria as well as NSW.
Despite the image of innovative farmers lacking the data required by ‘evidence-based science’, the finalists were keen to prove their claims by providing data.

If we could only allow entries featuring grazing and cropping practices that are based on ‘best available science’ we could not hold these awards because science has yet to study the combinations that carbon farmers use. In fact the best available science is being conducted by farmers in the biggest laboratory of them all: in the paddocks of Australia where a practice either works or it doesn’t and the amount on the cheque the farmer receives is the final test result. Word of mouth does the rest.

Most of the practices chosen by carbon farmers are not endorsed by peer-reviewed science. Yet most of the winners of all the ‘farmer of the year’ awards programs use grazing management which is not supported by research.

Read more!

Judging by the winners of the National Carbon Cocky Awards this year, Carbon Cockies are not romantic dreamers but hard-nosed business operators. One winner found that by breeding and feeding cattle to reduce methane emissions, he was able to reduce overheads by bringing stock to market sooner. Another was able to turn a quarter of his property over to biodiversity and timber woodlots without any loss of production. Three will avoid the next spike in fertiliser prices because they set up their own biofertiliser operations on farm.
“Sustainability is not an environmental goal. It is a practical business goal,” says Louisa Kiely of Carbon Farmers of Australia, the organiser of the Awards. “Cooperating with Mother Nature is good business because there can be no economy without an environment that works.”
A profile of the Carbon Farmer is emerging from the winners of the Award in the 5 years it has been conducted as part of the Carbon Farming Conference:

• Unconventional in their thinking.
• Curious to find a better way.
• Open to possibilities.
• Inventive approach to solving problems.
• Independent of the opinions of others.
• Passionate about finding solutions.
• Concerned about the future.
• Generous with their time.

The following are the winners of the National Carbon Cocky Awards 2011:
NATIONAL CARBON COCKY OF THE YEAR
WINNER: John & Robyn Ive, “Talaheni”, Yass
SPONSOR: Best Environmental Technologies
PHOTO: The Ives receiving their Award from Darryl Paulus, General Manager of Best Environmental Technologies.

 

John and Robyn Ive run a 250 ha family farm in Murrumbateman, specialising in ultrafine wool production, Angus cattle and farm forestry. John was named Conservation Farmer of the Year in September 2009 by the Conservation Agriculture and No-till Farming Association NSW and won the UN World Environment Day Triple Bottom Line Award 2004. Features of the property management include extensive plantings (250,000 trees) to address salinity, withdrawal of 25% of the property from agriculture, replaced by woodlots and corridors, with a simultaneous increase of biodiversity and no loss of production despite the reduction in operational space. John’s focus is on soil moisture which he has measured for nearly 20 years on his farm, “Talaheni”. Recently he has integrated these results with those predicted from daily estimates over these two decades from ten global climate agencies. He has achieved benefits from adopting procedures for increasing soil carbon over the past 30 years on the family farm where soil carbon has lifted from two per cent to near seven per cent before slipping in 2010. Further he recognises that sequestration can increase rainfall infiltration. With soil moisture a priority, John Ive is targeting ways of reducing run off, improving soil structure and increasing water use efficiency of pastures by encouraging and planting deeper rooting perennial pastures. John was chosen as a Climate Champion as part of the GRDC’s climate change adaptation education and outreach program. Congratulations, John and Robyn.
NATIONAL CARBON COCKY AWARDS
OUTSTANDING BEST PRACTICE
WINNER: Martin Royds,”Jillamatong”, Braidwood
SPONSOR: YLad Living Soils
PHOTO: Martin receiving his Award from Rhonda Daly of Ylad Living Soils.

Martin Royds farms 2900 ha “Jillamatong” near Braidwood NSW. He has incorporated the best ideas from a wide range of sources into his farm plan, including Holistic Management, Biodynamics, and Natural Sequence Farming. He practices Pasture Cropping and produces 90% of his own fertilisers using worm farms, compost heaps, compost teas and biodynamic preparations. Biodiversity plantings along ridges increases fertility and attracts birds and insects while stock process and leave fertility at the top of slopes, attracted there to the shade after feeding on lowland pastures. Leaky weirs in erosion zones spread water to rehydrate flood plains and promote pasture growth. Compost heaps on the slopes leach nutrients down the slope. A mineral trailer allows stock to self select supplements including sea weed, lime calcium, and wattle bark (tannins) to reduce methane. Stock can also self-medicate by browsing medicinal herbs, shrubs and trees. Pastures have more than 80 species of grasses, legumes and forbes. Martin has a multi-level enterprise, featuring fertilisers, truffles, yabbies, fish, beef and timber. He has reversed erosion gulleys to slow water, process nutrients and then spread fertility up the landscape by using stock management, paddock design and tree planting. Congratulations, Martin.
NATIONAL CARBON COCKY AWARDS
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP
JOINT WINNER: Cameron McKellar, “Inveraray Downs”, Spring Ridge
SPONSOR: N/C-Quest
PHOTO: Cam McKellar receiving his Award from Daniel Linklater, representing N/C-Quest.

Cameron McKellar conducts a very successful biological farming operation on his 1300 ha property “Inveraray Downs” at Spring Ridge, NSW. Ten years ago he shifted from chemicals to natural fertilisers such as kelp and fish emulsion before introducing his own composting system to avoid fluctuations in prices. Soil organic matter registered 3% in the top 30cm and 2.5% in the 30-60cm profile, up from less than 0.5% in the late ‘80’s. Cam combines dryland and irrigation cropping under no-till cultivation, including slashing of stubble. He also runs a herd of Belted Galloways which are also used to process stubble. A small woodland area is managed for timber and biodiversity. He tests his soils every 6 months. Cam has been an active member of the Carbon Coalition and hosted many delegations on site visits, most notably the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott and former Governor General, Major General Michael Jeffery. Congratulations, Cam.
NATIONAL CARBON COCKY AWARDS
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP
JOINT WINNER: Charlie Arnott & Dick Richardson, “Hanaminno”, Boorowa
SPONSOR: N/C-Quest
. PHOTO: Charlie Arnott receiving his Award from Daniel Linklater, representing N/C-Quest.

Charlie Arnott & Dick Richardson manage the 2127 ha “Hanaminno”, near Boorowa, NSW. They practice pasture cropping, large scale tree planting, holistic management of stock, pastures, water and soil, use no chemicals or inorganic fertilisers, minimal machinery use, retain ground cover at all times and do not supplementary feed stock. All this results in less diesel being used, carbon sequestration through tree growth and soil organic matter production and effective mineral cycling through strategic grazing management. Environmental outcomes of all management practices determine the direction of the business. They facilitate HM workshops and Biodynamic training workshops and produce BD preparations for others. They won the 2011 Conservation Farmer of the Year for the Lachlan Catchment. Congratulations, Dick and Charlie
NATIONAL CARBON COCKY AWARDS
OUTSTANDING INNOVATION OR INVENTION
WINNER: Bob & Anne Davie, “Bimbadeen”, Phillip Island, VIC
SPONSOR: Principle Focus

Bob & Anne Davie, manage the carbon footprint of their 144 ha at “Bimbadeen”, Phillip Island, VIC by addressing their emissions. Their Angus beef enterprise has become more productive and efficient as a result of the way they manage their stock and their pastures. They have used breeding, feed supplements and pasture management to produce animals that release less methane. Cattle that produce less methane put on weight quickly with less feed. The faster the weight gain, the quicker the Davies can turn the cattle over which means less overheads for each kilo of meat they sell. Cattle provided with fresh grass emit less methane, so the Davies have pasture cropped ryegrass varieties into their perennial pasture which is kept fresh by managed rotational grazing. They sell beef direct to the market under two brands, Enviromeat and Gippsland Natural, using their online presence. Water is a concern and they reduce evaporation from their dams and troughs by covering them with protective silicon film. Biodiversity is encouraged by the planting of 45,000 trees. A framework for sustainability for the business plan is provided by Bimbadeen’s adoption of the environmental Management System AS/NZ ISO 14001 Compliance. Trials have just begun to determine the link between land management and soil carbon. Congratulations, Bob and Anne.
NATIONAL CARBON COCKY AWARDS
ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD
WINNER: Victoria Royds, “Bedervale”, Braidwood, NSW.
SPONSOR: Seasol Commercial

Victoria Royds took over managing a family property - “Bedervale”, near Braidwood – three years ago and set a comprehensive list of goals, including soil health, biodiversity, productivity, vegetation, water dynamics, etc. She immediately divided the 520 ha property’s 19 paddocks into 32 as part of a plan to bring all paddocks down to 10 ha each. Pasture is grazed until there is a third grazed, a third left and a third litter, with the paddock rested for 10-12 weeks. Her aim is 100% groundcover. Emulating her brother and fellow Award winner Martin, she is establishing compost heaps on slopes so nutrients can leach downhill. Riparian zones have been fenced, with off-stream watering points established and in-stream ‘structures’ repaired which have improved flow and purity. 6000 trees have been planted. 5 monitoring points have been established. Victoria is an active member of Landcare and Natural Sequence Farming. She is currently undergoing training in Holistic Management, Compost Tea, and Prograze Plus. Congratulations, Victoria.

Profiles of the CMA Carbon Cocky Winners will be provided soon...

BREAKING NEWS

KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT

Land management’s quiet American revolution

Keynote speaker at this year’s Carbon Farming Conference, Courtney White of the Quivira Coalition, is leading a revolution in land management in America. The former environmental activist abandoned confrontation with ranchers to forge a new community model for creating healthy ‘working landscapes’ by building bridges between ranchers, conservationists, public land managers, scientists and others. In 1997, with two farmers, he co-founded the Quivira Coalition in New Mexico which uses education and collaboration to promote progressive public and private land stewardship. More recently he has been focussed on ‘carbon ranching’ and the new agrarian movement (healthy soil, healthy food, healthy people) in the USA. Mr White is visiting Australia to meet ‘carbon farmers’ and healthy soils activists. Australia is the first country in the world to legislate a carbon offset scheme for farming projects, at a national level.

Courtney will address the topic: “The Carbon Puzzle: Reassembling Land and Livelihoods” at the Carbon Farming Conference (28-29 September, 2011, in Dubbo NSW). He will share his experiences at the forefront of change with the Quivira Coalition. During the Spanish Colonial era in the South Western states, mapmakers used the word 'Quivira' to designate unknown territory beyond the frontier; it was also a term for an elusive golden dream.

Mr White’s writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Farming, Acres Magazine, Rangelands, and the Natural Resources Journal. His essay “The Working Wilderness: a Call for a Land Health Movement” was published by Wendell Berry in 2005 in his collection of essays titled "The Way of Ignorance."  In 2008, Island Press published Courtney’s book Revolution on the Range: the Rise of a New Ranch in the American West. He co-edited, with Dr. Rick Knight, Conservation for a New Generation, also published by Island Press in 2008. 

Free Barista Bar Coffee!

There will be a special networking lounge area with complimentary ‘real’ coffee from a Barista Bar. This coffee service is sponsored by the Environmental Registry and the lounge area is furnished by Harvey Norman Dubbo.

Who Will Be The Carbon Converters?

Not every farmer will want to get involved in trading farm carbon offsets. In fact, at least 25% have already decided not to, according to a recent survey by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC). The study, called Decisions Made By Farmers That Relate To Climate Change, found there are three types of response to the need to change practices: ignore it (26%), want to do something but can’t afford it (19%), want to do something but need support (55%). This last group - called ‘Cash-poor long-term adaptors’ - tend to believe Climate Change is real and man-made and that we have a responsibility to do something about it. 

They are information seekers and intend to farm more sustainably if they can get support. They tend to have larger farms (average 5000 ha) than the other groups (1600 ha and 2700 ha), and they rely less on off-farm income. They average 55 years of age, their health is good and they feel up to handling change. So, the majority of farmers (74%) want to change to meet the challenge of Climate Change, but need financial support to do so. That is what farm carbon offsets from the Carbon Farming Initiative and the $1.8bn in adjustment funding from the Carbon Tax are designed to deliver to farmers. Now that’s something you won’t hear from rural politicians or regional press outlets.

How the market works (for Indians)

It is hoped that next year it will be Australian farmers, but Carbon offsets paid to farmers in India are being used to offset the emissions generated by this year’s Carbon Farming Conference. The land-based offset credits will be derived from sugar cane used to generate energy. Ben Stuart, Director of Carbon Trading Exchange said “We wanted to demonstrate to farmers what it could mean for them by stepping in to this market. Through the simple offsetting of an event we can show how land-based projects can make money. 

Businesses will be able to buy CFI credits in Australia to offset their own carbon footprint and count towards their overall emissions reductions and the money will be generated back in to the Australian farming community.” Ben will explain at the Conference how these offsets were created and traded-  from go to whoa. The entire event will be offset for the full three days, this will include the electricity for the event, as well as the on-site event set up and bump out (All delegates and sponsors will be responsible for their own carbon footprint.)

The Carbon Farming Conference

"Livestock provides more food security than growing crops in many arid and semi-arid areas," said Lloyd Le Page, CEO of the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres (Cgiar), as aid organisations agreed on the importance of livestock in the current crisis in East Africa. Jeff Hill, director for policy at USAid, the US development arm, said underinvestment in pastoralist communities in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya have contributed to the extreme levels of food insecurity in the Horn of Africa's dry lands. "It is not drought, but vulnerability to drought that is eroding food security in these areas," Hill told agricultural experts at a meeting in Nairobi of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)., "and this vulnerability is a result of chronic under-investment. This is particularly true for the livestock-based systems which are and will be a dominant part of the arid and semi-arid lands." The ILRI, based in Nairobi, is a proponent of pastoralism and asserts that herding in dry areas makes better economic sense than irrigation.

"[We simply must find] more productive, safer methods that put carbon back in the soil to produce safer and better food," Al Gore urged Americans in a recent interview in TGDaily. The former Vice President also said we need to initiate an organic vegetarian diet for the general population since industrial agriculture is contributing to the relentless, growing problem of global warming. According to him, meat eating has prompted forests to clear due to higher demands for cattle, adding that synthetic nitrogen use in fertilizers continues to contribute to global warming. Mr Gore was only half wrong.

The Tea Party's Michelle Bachmann - the leading Republican Presidential contender - said yesterday the cyclones and tempests slamming into the US are God's warning to Americans to change their ways. Maybe God's a vegetarian, too. In response to the laughter her comments elicited she said her remarks were meant to be a joke. And they were. Neither Mr Gore nor Ms Bachmann will be attending the Gala Awards Dinner at the Carbon Farming Conference, but there will be jokes aplenty and poetry and songs galore as part of our Talent Quest. Bring your guitar, your bush poetry and your best smile.