Group aims to lower farm gas emissions

A core group of researchers and extension providers with an interest in carbon farming met last month to discuss opportunities for grain farmers to reduce emissions and improve productivity.

The meeting, facilitated by Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association carbon farming project officer Nikki Dumbrell, included 20 researchers and grower group representatives with an interest in carbon farming.

WANTFA's four-year extension and outreach project funded by the Australian Government will lookat carbon farming from the productivity perspective.

The drive to form the core group stemmed from the need to ensure WA growers received the best information about carbon farming and greenhouse gas emissions management in broadacre agriculture.

Associate Professor Louise Barton of the University of WA, presented her soil nitrous oxide research, including preliminary results from her most recent projects.

"Our current study is giving us valuable information on how nitrous oxide emissions are influenced by soil carbon," Associate Professor Barton said.

Brisbane-based CSIRO researcher Dr Peter Thorburn gave an outline of research project Achieving Least Cost Greenhouse Gas Abatement - Opportunities in Australian Grain Farms.

The project aims to estimate how much GHG abatement is feasible on Australian grain farms.

Similar meetings will be held every six months for the duration of WANTFA's extension and outreach project.