Carbon farming opportunities for livestock producers

The Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee has released, for public consultation, an offsets methodology that could provide livestock producers with new opportunities to earn carbon credits for reducing methane emissions.

“The government sponsored methodology is the second under the Carbon Farming Initiative designed to assist livestock producers to generate income by better managing manure to reduce emissions,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus.

“Under the ‘Methodology for the Destruction of Methane from Piggery Manure Using Engineered Biodigesters’, pork producers will capture and destroy methane emissions to prevent them from entering the atmosphere.

“Farmers can trade the offsets they generate for carbon credits, which can then be sold to other businesses - generating extra revenue for farmers and land managers across Australia."

The methodology, which is being developed by Sunpork Commercial Piggeries in collaboration with the Australian Government, builds on the previously approved methodology for the ‘destruction of methane generated from manure in piggeries’. The new methodology provides for an alternative technology to capture and combust waste.

“Australian Pork Ltd wholeheartedly supports these types of methodologies and government initiatives that benefit our pork producers,” said Dr Darryl D’Souza, General Manager, Research and Innovation, Australian Pork Ltd.

The advantage of anaerobic digester technology is that it can be used to efficiently generate heat or renewable energy. This can replace existing, more costly energy sources. In addition, livestock producers could generate tradeable renewable energy certificates.

“Once approved, this methodology could be adapted for use across a range of intensive livestock industries,” said Dreyfus.

The methodology will be open for consultation on the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency website until 11 June. All public comments will be considered by the Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee during its assessment of the methodology.