Last month, we also attended the MLA Carbon EDGE workshop in Toowoomba, where we met with 20 local landholders, property managers, and NRM staff.

Pictured: Bruce Lord and Lene Knudsen (South East Queensland Drought Innovation Hub Node, based in Kilcoy and managed by Healthy Land & Water) and Lorinda Otto (Roma Drought Innovation Hub Node Manager based at Southern Queensland Landscapes).

The workshop was all about finding practical ways to reduce farm emissions and capture carbon, without hurting the bottom line of grazing businesses. It was a great chance to learn how farmers can be more environmentally friendly while keeping their operations profitable. The new 2-day workshop format saw all participants learn more about emissions sources and cycling through the environment, international and national drivers of carbon/ sustainability policy and frameworks and working through Carbon Calculators to quantify emissions for their own enterprise.

There was significant focus on existing best management practices that can help lower on-farm emissions. This included improving herd fertility, growth rates and feed quality through improved pasture and land condition, establishing and maintaining legumes, effective supplementation and managing fertilisers, energy and fuel usage as well exploring ways to sequester carbon in soils and native vegetation. In addition to receiving the latest practical information and tools, each participant was supported in developing individual Carbon/Emissions Action Plans for their enterprise.

The workshop provided a great opportunity for Drought Innovation Hub Node Managers and Sustainable Agriculture Facilitators (SAFs). Participants learned more about key concepts, capturing data and using tools to calculate on-farm emissions and other decision support tools available to be able to assist landholders improve understanding of their own emissions. The goal was to equip them with practical skills to support landholders in reducing emissions, exploring carbon sequestration strategies, and making informed decisions about emerging environmental markets.