Cropping and horticulture emissions

Our preferred future

• Increasing improvement in the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity of cropping and horticulture commodities in kg CO2e/kg of production and be more efficient than our leading global competitors.
• At least 80% of cropping and horticulture production lands managed at industry best practice within an agreed industry management framework.

How we will work together

Led by industry, supported by government

• Develop the technological capability to support new decision-support tools.
• Analyse GHG lifecycles for Queensland’s major crops based on internationally accepted standardised frameworks.
• Invest in soil health research and demonstration projects to minimise fertiliser demand and increase soil organic matter and sustainable production strategies.
• Support development of green fertiliser options, with a focus on green cover crops and green ammonia production.
• Explore and capitalise on new cropping and market opportunities that contribute to carbon emissions reduction targets.

Led by industry, supported by private business

• Develop nitrogen baselines for businesses and provide advice on the application of low-emission fertiliser practices.

Led by government, supported by industry

• Support research and demonstration projects for slow-release nitrogen fertilisers to increase adoption and improve cost efficiencies.
• Find a platform for producers to get information and decision-support tools for low emissions practices and technologies.
• Deliver education and training programs for producers and agriculture service providers on low-emission production systems and transition planning.
• Find options to reward best management practices for whole-of-landscape benefits.

Led by private business, supported by industry

• Facilitate commercial-scale projects composting agricultural waste for fertiliser and soil ameliorants.

What you can do now

• Be aware of green fertiliser options, efficacy and cost effectiveness that reduce cropping GHG.
• Use nitrogen calculators to develop a nitrogen management plan for your business.
• Use soil carbon-assessment tools to develop a plan to improve soil health.
• Undertake an emissions footprint analysis to establish your baseline.
• Be aware of soil carbon assessment technology improvements.
• Be aware of emerging domestic and export market trends and policy signals relating to product marketability and business sustainability credentials.

Case study

HortCarbon Info—calculating and reducing horticulture emissions

In August 2022, the Queensland Government launched HortCarbon Info—a free, web-based decision-support tool to provide Queensland horticulture businesses an accurate way to calculate their on-farm GHG emissions.

Calculations consider:

• electricity
• fuel
• fertiliser
• dolomite and lime
• crop residues
• refrigeration leakage
• on-farm waste.

HortCarbon Info also contains additional information to help farm business managers better understand options to reduce and/or offset their GHG emissions by learning more about carbon sequestration options such as forestry and soil carbon, and where emissions (scope of emissions) occur in the supply chain and relevant emission factors.

Farmers can compare carbon footprints and profit margins for multi-location farm businesses.

The generated reports are confidential and easy-to-understand with information presented both graphically and tabularly.

Importantly, GHG emissions are also calculated per hectare, per full-time job, per tonne of food sold, and per $ million turnover, meaning HortCarbon Info results can be used to enhance Queensland horticultural businesses’ environmental reputation and assist in business planning.

Several farmers within the Lockyer Valley and the Granite Belt have trialled the new tool with great results and have been able to see what crops were the most energy dense, allowing fine-tuning of future business planning decisions.

Future priority focus areas for cropping and horticulture

The agriculture industry is actively working to reduce its carbon emissions. You can find more details about the programs run by both the industry and the government in our implementation plan.

The Queensland Low Emissions Agriculture Roadmap Stakeholder Advisory Committee has identified areas that require extra attention to achieve the roadmap's goals.

Short to medium term delivery

• Improved understanding of carbon cycling and loss pathways for key greenhouse gas inputs
• Optimisation of fertiliser practices/application – including composting
• Cost–benefit and feasibility analyses for emissions reduction technologies

Medium to long term delivery

• Lifecycle assessments and global benchmarking of key products/commodities – and feeding of these into trade policy/accreditation
• Accelerated commercialisation of new and proven technology

Ongoing delivery

• Accelerated and coordinated extension effort, both face to face and using online resources
• Cross-sectoral partnerships