Delivering CN30

CN30 will be achieved through focusing on creating opportunities to promote the care of natural resources, people and the community, the health and welfare of animals, and the drive for continuous improvement.

An example of this is the research and development into new feed additives that offer the potential to reduce methane emissions from livestock whilst improving animal weight gain. This delivers benefits for the environment and industry productivity. It also enables us to continue to meet the growing demand for Australian red meat.

Carbon neutrality will be achieved through these four key areas of work:

1. Greenhouse gas emissions avoidance
2. Carbon storage on farm
3. Integrated management systems
4. Industry leadership.

MLA’s role in CN30

CN30 is a coordinated initiative that requires input from and cooperation between all red meat industry stakeholders.

MLA’s role within this is:

• investing in research, development, adoption and marketing activities to support industry’s transition to a carbon neutral position
• establishing commercial pathways through partnerships
• developing business models to unlock productivity for industry
• helping producers and processors identify which pathways to greenhouse gas reduction best suit their businesses
• unlocking funding opportunities through commercial partners and available government monies.

What has been achieved so far?

The CN30 initiative has:

• Established baseline emissions for the Australian red meat industry and identified improvement since the 2005 baseline year.
• Identified that there are mitigation opportunities when implementing practices that:
  • reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from animals and processing
  • sequester carbon in above or below ground biomass.
• Identified pathways and scenarios that will allow industry to claim carbon neutrality by 2030.
• Assisted more than 50 producers develop a carbon account. Information gathered during this process will be used to develop a Profitable Grazing Systems (PGS) training package that will enable producers to establish carbon accounts, and to plan and implement practices that improve their net position.