What can I do on farm to earn a carbon credit?

It is important to know that earning a Carbon Credit that you can sell to a polluter does NOT depend on the Emissions Reduction Fund (now Climate Solutions Fund). You can put in a project under a number of approved ‘methods’. What follows is a Plain English Summary of each of the methods which YOU may be able to turn into a project and Earn a Carbon Credit.

For more information on any of them, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Don’t forget –  YOU can join with others in a Landcare or Grower or other group  to turn a small project into a bigger one.

The 5 most popular available methods farmers can use

1. Storing carbon in your soils
2. Planting native trees and shrubs (Native Forest)
3. Managing stock to allow native forest to regrow
4. Beef Herd Improvement – reducing methane
5. Reducing nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated cotton

It took CFA and others many years to bring a Soil Carbon Method to life – many said it would never be done. Yet, its here. We can participate. We can earn a Carbon Credit to improve our soil’s carbon levels. Some aspects are complex and soil testing is required – but over time things are changing and innovations are happening.

What follows is the Plain English explanation of the “Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Soils”.

We cannot afford to forget that the Soil is the Largest Carbon Sink over which we have control, and ONLY farmers can improve soil carbon on a large scale. Soil carbon sequestration has the potential to help the planet regain its balance and help the landscape regain its health. It is essential for both food security and climate security.

It remains at the forefront of what CFA is passionate about.

Some activities are excluded.

Factors that influence the potential for soil carbon sequestration include:

Please seek expert advice on which activities best suit your project site or submit YOUR innovative ‘carbon sequestration’ process or product to CFA for an informed opinion on its applicability. (CFA has many years experience with known activities to improve soil carbon – please contact us for details.)

Consider the financial costs and potential returns before submitting an application.

The method sets out a process for soil sampling and analysis to measure carbon levels in soil. This is reasonably complex – please ask for further details.

NOTE:  This method could be used with other CFI methods, at the same time on the same farm in different areas.

This method rewards those who are willing to plant trees and receive payments for the carbon stored in the trees/shrubs. It is highly suited to groups (e.g. Landcare groups – because you can get economies of scale on the buying/planting of the trees) or a Farmer wishing to establish tree plots for Shade/Shelter etc.

Establishing a permanent planting of forests of native (to the local area) tree species on cleared land. Environmental plantings increases the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by sequestering (absorbing and storing) the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2), as carbon, in the trees and tree debris.

You must plant the trees or shrubs and the plantings must:

In the five years prior to the project’s establishment, the project land must:

Note: Plants cannot be removed for use as fencing. Livestock cannot be grazed in the project area for three years following the establishment of planting, or at any other time if this would prevent the growth of trees. Sequestration is calculated using a calculator supplied by the Government.

For more information get in contact with us.

This method differs to the Environmental Plantings method, as it involves managing or removing external pressures that prevent vegetation regrowth from occurring.

In some of the more extensive agricultural areas in Australia, where land size is relatively large and where often productivity has been falling – due to goat or other activities combined with drought and declining terms of trade – this method has been highly successful in turning around Farmers’ fortunes.

It is mainly suitable for larger areas – from about 5000 hectares. Farmers are paid to change livestock management to allow the native forest to regrow. ERF contracts can be for up to 10 years and a project can have a life of 25 years or 100 years.

For further information, or to talk it over, please call Louisa on 0417 280 540.

In the Beef Herd Improvement method, you can be rewarded for reducing the methane coming from your cattle. It is suited to larger herds, but could also be very good for a Cattle Group who believe they are turning off cattle earlier or have some other improvements which will reduce the methane from the herd.

Please note that the ‘action’ to reduce methane is not restricted – so if you have some new technology – go for it. You must use the Beef Herd Calculator. For further information or to talk it over, contact Louisa on  0417 280 540.

Note:

1. Liveweight and LWG Liveweight can be done by weighing, or where this is not practical, through verifiable alternative means.
2. Need records from 3 of the last 7 years (don’t have to be sequential) But as close to date of application as possible. LWG must be greater than zero.
3. Majority of feed has to be pastures.
4. Need some evidence that the ‘new’ practice will reduce emissions.
5. Must be able to identify members of each group of animals as defined by, the herd, the livestock class and the date of entry into the herd.

This method is available ONLY to Irrigated Cotton producers. Nitrogen Fertiliser releases a potent  ‘greenhouse gas’ when applied (nitrous oxide). Reducing this release can earn carbon credits. You’ll need to change your fertilizer regime while maintaining yield.

If you have other ideas on reduction of nitrous oxide,  you are certainly able to implement these, so long as you can show a reduction in nitrous oxide.

How It Works

After your ‘new’ application rates are audited, the amount of nitrous oxide reductions are calculated. The difference between your ‘historic’ emissions from nitrogen fertilizer and the ‘new’ level of emissions becomes your emissions reduction and can be converted to a ‘carbon credit’.

You need to have records of past N application rates, keep records of the changed management activity, and be audited.