Todays Crikey “Rooted” article is a ripper.
Agmate’s and North Queensland graziers Glenn and Natalie Williams [ pictured below] put the general public straight on what our farmers are doing about carbon sequestration.
Great stuff Natalie.
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“I have to wonder if ordinary Australian’s get away from the computer long enough to get outside and actually make a difference to the world…and sequester some carbon.
Farmers and graziers are sequestering more carbon in a week than other Australian would in a lifetime.
How do I know? Because I am walking the talk ….We have documented and satalite evidence that our pastures have changed from D class to A class in just over 5 years….(look up the DNR&M website for clarification of pasture assessment if you don’t already know).
We have done this over our entire property of 17000 acres. My husband and I are not anything unusual ….farmers and graziers are doing this everyday of the week in Australia and this goes on unrecognized and deliberately avoided.”
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Read the rest of this Article on Crikey Here
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Have Your Say.
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Got a tip off, article or have you seen a video or item you’d like to be seen by the Agmates Community? If so please email it to us at news@agmates.com
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Hi Steve & Others,
I have just read through Natalies blog and the comments it has stimulated. As an originator of much of the “green” change which is accelerating through rural Australia I am very happy to see the quality of the debate and the similarity of ideas.
I am not a blogger and probably won’t get back to this site again but I would like to summarize what I see as some key issues which you influential people can help address.
1. Farmbiz has been a catalyst in bringing about change in rural Australia. I have data which shows that a one off $1m expenditure by Farmbiz to our clients has increased the ROA on those same people by $56m pa. Most of this change has been brought about by reducing external chemical, fuel & fertilizer inputs and changing the fundamental practices of land management to ones which are ecologically renewing. One of the first actions of the “Education Revolution” party, was to scrap this investment.
2. Change does not occur without an attitudinal shift combined with motivational forces. Very high quality Education is the key to both these. One can only wonder why subsidised education is not seen as a good investment in the future.
3. I totally agree with the comments about Australian farmers having the ability to change quickly, effectively and profitably to become carbon farmers if properly incentivised. In many regions in Australia, the Gross Margin per Ha from soil carbon sequestration can exceed the GM/ha of the production system currently running on it (@$25/t CO2e). To achieve this, soil carbon should be included as an “opt-in” programme within the ETS. Soil carbon can be effectively measured to a 95% confidence level, NOW. Without acceptance of soil carbon at a Fed and Kyoto level, we are losing a great deal of time we do not have to squander.
3. Extreme positions either from the rural community or an urban green community are not productive. At the centre we are aligned. Having trained over 10,000 Australian farmers and graziers over the last 25 years, I know that our rural community is generally very concerned about the environment (Natalie & Glen are just one outstanding example). However, just like the extreme greens, there are extreme rednecks still kicking. We must all ignore the 10 to 20% on each end of the distribution curve and get on with trying to save our planet. It desperately needs our collective help!!
Yours in positive change.
Terry McCosker
G’day Terry,
Fantastics comment. It’s so good that I want as many people to read it as possible.
In that vain I have published your comment as a feature article today on
Agmates
and also on Crikey’s Enviro blog - “Rooted”
Thanks for your input mate - the Agmates community appreciates it.
