The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed a new ABARES report that provides a clearer, more grounded way to assess how carbon sequestration could sit alongside Australian agriculture.
NFF Interim Chief Executive Su McCluskey said the report usefully cuts through the noise by modelling what could happen under different policy settings but was not a mandate for what must happen.
“This is not a blueprint telling farmers what to do with their land,” Ms McCluskey said.
“It’s a scenario tool that helps governments understand the consequences of their own policy choices.”
The ABARES Spatial, Agriculture, Forestry and Environment (SAFE) model looks at land use across agricultural ‘cells’ of around 2,200–3,000 hectares, allowing a landscape-level view of how farming, forestry and carbon markets may interact.
Importantly, it identifies ‘opportunity zones’ where some farmers may choose to diversify their operation to include carbon sequestration alongside food and fibre production.
“The key word here is choice. For some producers, carbon could be a complementary income stream. For many others, it won’t stack up and that’s entirely appropriate,” Ms McCluskey said.
The report also highlights a strong link between carbon prices and uptake. As prices rise, participation increases. That reinforces the need for caution in policy design.
“Location matters. The right model, in the right place, can work alongside agriculture. But the NFF remains clear-eyed about the risks of land competition.
“The NFF continues to prioritise food and fibre production and is acutely aware of the growing competition for agricultural land from housing, renewables, transmission infrastructure and mining.
“We will keep pushing the principle that emitters should focus first on reducing their own emissions, not simply outsourcing the problem to agriculture.”
While the report maps potential income opportunities and potential carbon price points, which could be worth considering, Ms McCluskey also stressed the need to protect regional communities.
“Any future settings must avoid unintended consequences and keep regional communities strong.”
Stacey Davidson
Ashleigh Whittaker