Producer input sought on carbon farming hurdles
Wheatbelt NRM is working with Farm Optimization Group’s Michael Young on modelling the farm-scale economics of participating in potential restoration economy projects on the lowest performing 10% of different farmlands.
A new survey has just been released to understand the barriers producers see when it comes to participating in the restoration economy.
The survey released by Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management and the University of Western Australia aims to get producers’ perspectives on their knowledge of current revegetation markets, namely the Carbon Market, the Nature Repair Market and the Biomass Market.
Supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate Smart Agriculture Program, the survey is a key part of the Wheatbelt NRM-led project ‘Wheatbelt land-use paradigms – navigating new industries in the low carbon and natural capital era’.
Wheatbelt NRM project manager for low carbon and restoration landscapes Alex Johnson said the survey will ensure the project remains farmer-focused and relevant to agricultural producers.
“There is significant opportunity for farmers to engage in projects with potential investment partners, but there’s still a lot of ‘fog cover’ to get through to ensure these partnerships are beneficial to our agricultural regions.”
As well as delivering the survey, Wheatbelt NRM is working with Farm Optimization Group’s Michael Young on modelling the farm-scale economics of participating in potential restoration economy projects on the lowest performing 10% of different farmlands.
The economic model will support sound farm business decisions by understanding how farming landscapes will perform economically under different pricing scenarios, including changing natural asset values.
“The emergence of environmental markets, Australian Carbon Credit Units, Biodiversity Certificates from the Nature Repair Market, and biomass plantings, and their potential income scenarios, are a crucial inclusion in this project,” Mr. Johnson said.
“It’s important our farmers understand the potential benefits of these markets, how best to access them, and for (the project) to provide support by understanding how farming landscapes will perform economically under different pricing scenarios and to review how best the agricultural sector can engage with potential investment opportunities.”
As well as detailing the economic modelling of the potential income scenarios available to farmers, the Industry Report which is due out in January, will discuss the legalities, risks, and natural capital benefits of partnering with project developers.
Paradigm project steering committee member and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development program lead Kim Brooksbank
Paradigm project steering committee member and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development program lead Kim Brooksbank said Wheatbelt farms need a ‘third leg’ for a future farm resilience stool for the farm.
He said tapping into the opportunity to incorporate deep rooted perennials would provide further stability to build farm business resilience.
“Deep rooted perennials improve the ecological resilience of the landscape by bringing water up from depth to keep surface soil biology active, lowering daytime temperatures, and reducing wind and water erosion,” Mr Brooksbank said.
“If crops and pastures underperform in any given year because of climate or market impacts, income from perennials can help see the business through.”
He said developing markets for trees grown on farms as part of the growing restoration economy had the potential to make the a third leg of the financial stool for farm business.
Understanding producer perspectives of emerging revegetation markets is an important step of the Paradigm project.
The survey is now open for everyone to complete
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Published eNews #404, July 2025