On-Farm Greenhouse Gas Audit

Mark McKew

Outline

• Farming operation• How the project came about• Why I wanted to get involved• Results• What have a learnt from this process• Future?

• 654 ha• Sheep (2,700) and Beef (77) Production• 24ha crop, 10ha revegetation• Mt Cole Creek, Western Victoria

Coralynn

How the project came about

• Project Platypus (Local Landcare Network) sought funds from the Federal Govt to Audit 15 farms.

• The project was managed by the Landcare Network who engaged Environmental Accounting Services to design and undertake audits.

• Project Platypus staff were involved by working with landholders to collect information.

• It was decided to use the previous financial year as a basis for calculating emissions

Why I wanted to get involved• Concerns about Global Warming, requires a

Global solution• Want to play my part in the solution (everyone

needs to get involved)• No idea about what my farming enterprise

emissions were• My goal is to become carbon neutral

Accounting Boundary

Nitrous Oxide

Emissions to Air

Physical Inputs

Physical Outputs (Not Counted

Physical Inputs

Farm Emission/Uptake Sources

Enteric FermentationFuel and Energy Use

Emissions from Fertiliser UseEmissions from Animal Waste

Emissions from crop residues

Methane

Carbon Dioxide

WoolGrain

Physical Outputs

Fertiliser

Fuel

Stock Numbers

Total Farm Area

Area of Improved PastureArea Cropped

Emissions/Uptake

Liveweight

• Increase/decrease in soil carbon was not considered as part of this audit

Results

Figure 2: Sources of on farm emissions

Total EmissionsSource/Sink t CO2-eElectricity and Fuel 13Grain Production 0.4Sheep Production 355Beef Production 160Revegetation -30Net Farm Emissions 498Net Farm Agriculture Emissions 485

Source/Sink t CO2-eElectricity and Fuel 39Grain Production 19Sheep Production 91Forestry -52Net Farm Emissions 97Net Farm Agriculture Emissions 58

My Farm

Alternate farm , similar size with emphasis on cropping

Learnings• Carbon accounting for

my enterprise was not complicated

• Assumed beef were higher emitters of methane than sheep, but on a DSE basis they are only marginally higher

• Crops as opposed to livestock produces a lot less greenhouse gases

• Need to undertake a substantial amount of revegetation to become carbon neutral (or through soil carbon increases)

Future direction

• Reduced cattle numbers• Increase in revegetation• Commenced testing soil carbon at a number of

sites over the farm• Learn more about how to reduce emissions from

livestock through genetics and feeding• We need to undertake a substantial amount of

research and development in this area