Production

MLA’s view on why carbon neutrality matters

Beef Central, 21/08/2020

THE Australian red meat and livestock industry has set the ambitious target to be carbon neutral by 2030 (CN30).

This means Australia’s beef, lamb and goat industries – including production, lot feeding and meat processing – are aiming for no ‘net release’ of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere in 10 years’ time.

But what does this really mean on‑farm and what can producers do to reach this goal?

Doug McNicholl

Set out below, MLA’s manager for sustainability innovation, Doug McNicholl, shares what producers need to know about CN30 and the part MLA is playing to reach this target.

“The industry has created an opportunity to turn today’s pressures into tomorrow’s opportunities,” Mr McNicholl said.

MLA’s approach to achieving CN30 is focused on delivering multiple benefits to industry, customers, consumers and the community.

“The CN30 target sends a clear signal to government and consumers that the red meat industry is proactively addressing emissions.”

Staying ahead of current and future consumer, customer and community expectations regarding environmental credentials allows red meat producers to stamp their mark in a competitive global protein market.

“Demonstrated commitment to environmental stewardship, through initiatives such as CN30, enables ongoing trust and support for our industry. It underpins our position as a responsible producer of high‑value, clean, safe and natural protein,” Mr McNicholl said.

What’s in it for producers?

The big wins for producers from CN30 activities include:

  • Novel animal supplements and legumes which can increase live weight gains and dramatically reduce methane emissions
  • Increased soil organic matter from deep‑rooted pastures and legumes, which improves soil health, feedbase productivity and drought resilience
  • Improvements in genetics and herd management which can reduce methane emissions per kilogram of live weight produced, enabling productivity improvements alongside reductions in emissions intensity.

“Whether it’s reducing net emissions, boosting productivity or developing new markets, these CN30 activities deliver multiple benefits to producers and the community,” Mr McNicholl said.

Is CN30 actually achievable?

Mr McNicholl said CN30 is achievable with industry commitment, the right policy settings and new investment in research, development and adoption.

CSIRO has presented some theoretical pathways for the Australian red meat industry to achieve CN30; however, the support of producers will be crucial to the initiative’s success.

Australian red meat producers have a long and proud history of adapting to environmental and market conditions. As custodians of around half of Australia’s land mass, an enormous opportunity exists to be the prime example of a productive, profitable, carbon neutral industry.

What will this mean for Australia’s national herd in 2030?

According to Mr McNicholl, carbon neutrality doesn’t need to come at the cost of livestock numbers.

CSIRO analysis shows it’s possible to achieve CN30 without reducing herd numbers below the rolling 10‑year average (25 million cattle, 70 million sheep and 0.5 million goats).

By 2030, producers will be even more attuned to the influence of genetic, environmental, technological and market factors on red meat production, and will be able to:

  • Access the best information, enabling selection of livestock with multiple attributes to increase productivity and reduce methane emissions per kilogram produced
  • Select supplements, pastures, legumes and trees with multiple attributes, enabling livestock to thrive in more extreme weather and climate conditions
  • Access more established markets for low and zero carbon red meat and co‑products.

What’s in the CN30 pipeline?

MLA is working on a range of tools and technologies for producers to cost‑effectively reduce emissions and boost the value of red meat sales by demonstrating environmental stewardship credentials to customers, consumers and the community.

These include the following tools and technologies and technologies:

Carbon accounting tool and training packages

“An important first step is providing producers with a carbon accounting tool so they can determine their net GHG emissions position, identify strategies to reduce these emissions and improve carbon storage on‑farm,” Mr McNicholl said.

MLA’s CN30 Manager, Margaret Jewell, has been working with producers across the country to develop a next generation arm‑level accounting tool.

A carbon accounting training manual is also being developed to help producers get on the front foot and maintain or improve productivity while reducing emissions.

New supplements and feedbase options

More than three‑quarters of emissions from enteric fermentation (digestion) are from beef cattle on pasture. Approximately half these emissions are from cows aged more than two years.

“This is why MLA and its research partners are investing in new feedbase options and supplements which reduce methane emissions from livestock and improve animal growth rates and reproduction,” Mr McNicholl said.

“Legumes such as leucaena and desmanthus can raise animal productivity, reduce methane emissions and offer additional soil health benefits by fixing nitrogen.”

Several supplements have been identified which provide reductions in enteric methane and improvements in animal productivity, including the following:

  • 3‑Nitrooxypropanol (3‑NOP) is likely to be available to producers within the next few years and can reduce enteric methane emissions in cattle fed grain‑based diets
  • Marine macroalgae such as Asparagopsis app has been shown to substantially reduce enteric methane emissions when incorporated into feedlot rations.

Get your business CN30‑ready

Here are seven ways to be on the front foot towards carbon neutrality.

Now:

  • Arm yourself with the right knowledge. Identify your emission sources, know what carbon storage options are available and document these in your carbon account. 
  • Consider herd management practices to improve livestock diet, breeding efficiency or structure to reduce methane emissions per kilogram of live weight produced.
  • Identify shade and shelter options on your property. Integrate trees and shrubs to grazing systems for improved carbon storage and animal health and biodiversity benefits. Your local Landcare group can help you choose the right tree and vegetation species for your region.

Within three years

  • Plan for delivery and distribution of new feeds and supplements which reduce methane emissions from livestock and improve animal growth rates. This will enable more red meat to be produced for the same or reduced methane emissions.
  • Establish deep‑rooted, palatable pastures and legumes to improve soil carbon levels and lift animal productivity.

Longer term

  • Consider what mix of pastures, legumes and trees is suitable to maintain livestock productivity in future weather and climate scenarios.
  • Look at collaborative supply chain arrangements to mitigate financial, environmental and market risks as well as the impact on business inputs and output.

 

Source: MLA

 

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. ROWAN EISNER, 08/04/2022

    So the 19% GHG reduction claimed by the prime minister has probably nearly entirely been achieved by reduced land clearing as other emissions have continued to rise. It may be that in those terms (and timeframes?) it may have been on-track to happen anyway, as has probably happened in USA through intensification. The carbon/biodiversity price needs to be sufficient to pay for increased land-use efficiency (feed production) in the sector for this to happen.

  2. Jacqueline Curley, 23/08/2020

    This sounds very easy on paper. Reality…another expensive supplement to be fed year round. Legumes which are expensive, difficult or impossible to grow in many areas, however great they may be. Another layer of accounting for time challenged producers. And no doubt ending up with more regulation and audits once the shonky reef science is used to denigrate the industry further. When are we going to stop being apologetic for cows supposedly creating global warming, which is gradually being proved otherwise. How many producers are going to be walked over the cliff by 2030.

  3. Greg brown, 22/08/2020

    Paul Franks in his comments says the above is something that would come out of a Govt department . It is even worse than that as is more akin to some body selling a blind horse .The amount of country suited to Leauceanea Desmanthus and similar legumes is minor and the fact that a vast area of this country is continually without any vegetation either by way of drought or management leads me to believe CN 2030 has not been put together by anybody that knows what they are talking about . It is time for MLA to come clean and admit that this not possible as you have even lost the support of NFF as they have jumped into another boat with holes in it . Incidently Bill Burrows work is about vegetation thickening and trees do sequester carbon but at the same time reduce productivity Greg Brown

  4. Paul Franks, 21/08/2020

    There is going to be a lot of non compliant bankrupted producers by 2030.

    To me that whole article reads like something I would expect to come out a government department.

    Honestly how many of those large properties in Northern Australia where there are tens of thousands of cattle on huge properties are going to rush out improving their pasture (which due to state environmental laws might be illegal), and feeding out lots of supplements to cows.

    How many hobby farmers with ten head are going to do whatever is forced upon them?

    • Greg Campbell, 21/08/2020

      It likely won’t be the case that every producer needs to be carbon neutral for the whole industry to meet such a target. The trees and shrubs across Northern Australia are already thickening, as their growth is enhanced by rising Co2 levels in the atmosphere. The “balance of tree and grass cover” project , initiated by the Beef Sustainability Framework within RMAC, is measuring and tracking this. At a certain balance point, varying with each vegetation community, tree cover compromises pasture production. Its therefore a reasonable argument for northern Australian producers to be allowed to use such carbon accumulation to offset their production emissions. Carbon neutrality wouldn’t then seem such a stretch target. Assuming also that factors mentioned above are widely adopted, then there are reasonable prospects of meeting the target as an industry average.

      • Brad Bellinger, 23/08/2020

        Thanks Greg, it seems that the 20% of trees killed on my property during the 18/19 drought and the millions of hectares on trees killed in last years bushfires was just a bad dream.

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