GREENHOUSE ISSUES IN THE
GRAZING INDUSTRIES
Workshop Notes
Tullamarine Airport Motor Inn
Melbourne
Wednesday 15th November 2000
Greenhouse issues in the grazing industries - Workshop Notes – 15th November 2000
Richard Eckard – The University of Melbourne & AV Ellinbank
Page 1 of 29
Greenhouse issues in the grazing industries
Digby Room, Tullamarine Airport Motor Inn
265 Mickleham Rd Tullamarine 3043, Melbourne
Wednesday 15th November 2000 @ 9:45 am
Purpose
1. To inform grazing industry investors of the issues, threats and opportunities of greenhouse emission
reduction targets and carbon credits, as agreed under the Kyoto protocol and its likely implementation,
as they may apply to the grazing industries in SE Australia.
2. To inform participants of current applicable activities in greenhouse.
3. To facilitate discussion on specific priority areas for collaboration, investment and development, as
well as a timescale and process forward.
Agenda
9:30 Arrival, Registration and Coffee
10:00 Welcome and Introduction – Richard Habgood & Tim Orton
10:10 Information Session
The Greenhouse challenge and implications for the Grazing Industries
– Prof Snow Barlow, ILFR, The University of
Melbourne and CRC for Greenhouse Accounting
Brief report on recent reviews and studies conducted in Dairy, Beef and Sheep
– Dawn Dalley, Richard Eckard, Bruce Knee
11:00 Listing by participants of specific greenhouse research issues – Tim Orton
11:30 Tea break
11:45 Existing and Planned Research, and Potential Gaps
(a representative from each organization should be prepared to give a brief overview of where there
organization is at in dealing with the greenhouse issue)
Listing of known projects and discussion regarding their applicability to greenhouse
issues – Tim Orton
Brief presentation of the Goulburn-Broken CMA proposal (10 min) - Prof Snow Barlow
13:00 Lunch
13.45 Facilitated workshop – Tim Orton
Identifying key priority areas for attention
- Win-win opportunities
- Imminent threats
Consolidation of key issues and clear identification of areas for joint collaboration
Agreement on a process, development and time-scale team for the development of
identified areas of work. Identification of a project development team.
3:30 pm Afternoon Tea and Close
Greenhouse issues in the grazing industries - Workshop Notes – 15th November 2000
Richard Eckard – The University of Melbourne & AV Ellinbank
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Invited delegates:
Surname
Anderson
Balint
First
Rod
Carolyn
Barlow
Snow
Location
NRE Greenhouse Unit
CAW
Kroker
ILFR, The University of
Melbourne
ILFR, The University of
Deli
Melbourne
Michael AV Rutherglen
Julie
Agribusiness, East Melbourne
Dawn
AV Ellinbank
Tom
DRDC
ILFR, The University of
Richard Melbourne
Cameron AV Ellinbank
Richard Agricultural Industries, NRE
Phil
CAW, East Melbourne
Joe
NRE
Bruce
AV Hamilton
Agricultural Industries,
Geoff
Bendigo
Lowe
Marland
Kim
David
Mason
Orton
Pattinson
Russell
Slattery
Taylor
Wang
Boomsma
Warren
Tim
Russell
Ben
William
Rodney
QJ
John
Chen
Crawford
Currie
Dalley
Davison
Eckard
Gourley
Habgood
Heaphy
Jacobs
Knee
Div. of Parks, Flora &
Fauna East Melbourne
Attend
Y
N
Y
Role
Policy Analyst, Greenhouse
Salinity Project Officer
Head, Department of Resource
Management and Horticulture
CRC for Greenhouse Accounting
Y
Senior Research Fellow
Senior Research Scientist
Food Industry Development
Team Leader Feedbase Production & Utilis
Farm Portfolio Manager
Senior Research Fellow
Key Project Manager – SWaN
Industry Co-Ordinator Dairy
Policy Integration
Feedbase Key Project Manager
Industry Program Leader – Meat
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
N
N
Y
Y
Industry Co-Ordinator Beef
N
Principal Policy Analyst
Agricultural Industries, Ararat Wool Industry Co-Ordinator
Natural Resources
DRDC & MLA
National Program Coordinator
Nous group
Facilitator
Woolmark Co
Group Manager On-farm Technology
MLA
Manager Southern Production Systems
AV Rutherglen
Natural Resources Manager
CAW
Irrigation Project Officer
AV Tatura, ISIA
Key Project Manager – SWaN
NRE Ellinbank
Target 10 Coordinator
Greenhouse issues in the grazing industries - Workshop Notes – 15th November 2000
Richard Eckard – The University of Melbourne & AV Ellinbank
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
N
Y
Y
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Greenhouse Priorities in the Grazing Industries
Workshop Conclusions and Outputs
Tim Orton, Facilitator, The Nous Group
A. Research Priorities in Time Framed Order
1.



Desk top research of beef and sheep to a similar level to dairy (relevant to all states)
To identify critical assumptions that need to be tested further
Critical sources and drivers of greenhouse emissions
Opportunities to make major changes
2a. Complete field based assessment of emissions of grazing animals – dairy, sheep, beef,
(and also cropping and horticulture) to confirm or amend desk top research of Step 1.
Priorities listed in table below.
Irrigated
High rainfall
Sheep / cereal country
total
Dairy
H
H
Beef
Sheep
H
15%
50%
H
H
30%
2b. In parallel with 2a, hypothesise opportunities to improve net emissions
3. Create model of emissions across landscape
4. Confirm opportunities to improve net emissions based on steps 2a and 2 b.
Potentially worth pursuing in parallel
5. How significant are energy inputs into Ag. production?



Are there energy efficiency opportunities
Is use of bio-fuel a significant option? – Dairy / feedlot?
Could methane be collected? (from feed lots?)
B. Integrated environmental management systems
The following priorities are all related to the range of policy and regulatory issues that are
currently being pursued by NRE (and others) that relate to greenhouse and other critical
NRM issues.
1. Investigate greenhouse impact of removing land from production
2. Is the potential synergy between policy and regulatory instruments fully realised?
Greenhouse issues in the grazing industries - Workshop Notes – 15th November 2000
Richard Eckard – The University of Melbourne & AV Ellinbank
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3. Do the evolving policy mechanisms (eg. Auction mechanisms) create opportunities
for greenhouse?
4. Are greenhouse and other environmental issues (water quality, biodiversity, salinity
etc.) complementary?
5. How would greenhouse action improve other environmental outcomes?
6. Would landscape / catchment approaches yield different solutions from an enterprise
view?
C. Communication and Marketing
This work will require more information from the research priorities and the work on
integrated environmental management systems.
1. How do we inform / educate government/policy makers, industry and
farmers/enterprises? – and for the entire industry chain / and whole of product emission
control
2. What are the broader communication requirements on behalf of agriculture industries
 Relative performance of agriculture industries
 Should include carbon trading / credits etc.
D. Who will carry this forward?
Broadly, AFFA, NRE, AGO
From this specific meeting:
 Richard Habgood
 Julie Currie
 Rod Anderson
E. Other Notes from the Workshop
a. Greenhouse Impact Scoping
1. What are relative opportunities to improve net emissions (panel of experts)
 By relative contribution today
 By relative growth
 By opportunity to make changes
2. What are the opportunities for growth without increasing emissions?
3. Do we have solutions for methane and N2O less well developed than for CO2
4. What assumptions have been made in the existing desk top research? And which
assumptions need to be tested in field research? – because they are significant, and
because they can be positively influenced.
Greenhouse issues in the grazing industries - Workshop Notes – 15th November 2000
Richard Eckard – The University of Melbourne & AV Ellinbank
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b. Audit of Existing Systems
1. Determine with greater certainty emissions
 of agriculture with respect to other industries
 of different ag. Industries
 by region
 by production system
2. Create model of emission by land type / catchment and matching with GIS data
3. Question: what level of certainty is required?
 To influence policy
 To provide useful input to enterprises
c. Adaptation of Agriculture
1. How will agriculture need to adapt to climate change?
This is a long term challenge, and greenhouse adaptation should be factored into existing
research programs aimed at improving productivity or environmental outcomes.
d. International
The following are important issues that all interested in greenhouse should watch, but
none are the direct responsibility of workshop attendees.
1. How is carbon trading to be enacted – international, national, state, industry, enterprise
o Appears to be international rules, and enterprise based trading
2. How are other countries dealing with C-trading
3. How are other countries dealing with emission reduction initiatives in agriculture.
e. Potential Enterprise Level Solutions
1. Move from beef to kangaroos / alternative animals – gene technology
2. Development of alternative systems
3. How significant are energy inputs into Ag. Production?
 Are there energy efficiency opportunities
 Is use of bio-fuel a significant option? – Dairy / feedlot?
 Could methane be collected (from feed lots?)
4. Are there solutions for different sized enterprises?
5. Develop enterprise based accounting system
f. Cross Enterprise Solutions
1. Will some greenhouse solutions require aggregation of enterprise activity?
2. What are the implications for downstream industries? Simply be aware at this stage.
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Summary of exiting activities in Greenhouse – Notes handed out prior to workshop
Project/activity**
Eckard, Dalley &
Crawford CRC
review
Ind’y
Dairy
Details
 Identification of key emission sources
 Identification of future research needs
 Potential win-win opportunities identified
i.e. trees/biodiversity, management
efficiency
McCrabb desktop
study/review
Dairy


Webb carbon audit
desktop study
Beef/
Sheep





Potential magnitude of greenhouse impact
quantified (25% reduction in methane
required)
Potential financial threat quantified and
identified (potential non-compliance cost of
$12 – $48 M pa)
Potential win-win opportunities identified
Identification of key emission sources
Potential management change opportunities
identified
Low confidence in estimates from current
methodologies and assumptions
Indicative results only – based on a
theoretical farm
Greenhouse Gaps Identified
 Relevance of Methane methodologies under normal grazing
 Relevance of Methane estimates to temperate, pasture-based production systems
 The impact of grazing management change and strategic supplementation on
methane emission
 Efficacy of identified methanogens, defaunating agents, feed additives and rumen
modifiers.
 Nitrous oxide emissions under flood irrigation, and compared to spray irrigation.
 Reducing nitrous oxide due to N excretion in dung and urine
 Grazing and fertiliser management change for improved soil carbon storage
 Greater understanding of soil carbon dynamics under grazing
 A more detailed carbon audit of a range of production systems required
 Research required on feeding systems for methane reduction
 Reducing nitrous oxide due to N excretion in dung and urine (20% abatement
potential)


Improved methodologies and estimates required for temperate grazing based systems
A more detailed carbon audit of a range of production systems required
** For further details of the projects or references listed see “Summary of current activities in Greenhouse” on pages 5 –7.
Greenhouse issues in the grazing industries - Workshop Notes – 15th November 2000
Richard Eckard – The University of Melbourne & AV Ellinbank
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Summary of exiting activities in Greenhouse – Notes handed out prior to workshop (cont)
Project/activity**
Research: Best
Management
Practice for nitrogen
– R Eckard
Research:
Temperate Pastures
Sustainable Key
Program – RE
White
Research: A Vaccine
for Methane
mitigation in
ruminants – Sue
Baker
Research:
Dr Keith Joblin,
AgResearch, NZ and
Dr Gerard Fonty,
NIAR, France
Ind’y
Dairy
Beef/
Sheep
?
Beef/
sheep
Details
 Guidelines and best management practices
for improving efficiency and reducing loss
Greenhouse Gaps Identified
 Denitrification loss under summer flood irrigation systems
 Improving N efficiency and reducing N loss due to N excretion in dung and urine

Denitrification rates from extensive legumebased pasture
Changes in soil carbon


All

Positive results in vitro – no evidence in
vivo as yet.

Unknown
Sheep
(all?)

5% of grazing sheep produce much less
methane than expected, indicates that there
are natural mechanisms that affect methane
emissions.

The potential of reductive methanogens (i.e. acetogenic bacteric) to lower rumen
methane emissions
** For further details of the projects or references listed see “Summary of current activities in Greenhouse” on pages 5 –7.
Greenhouse issues in the grazing industries - Workshop Notes – 15th November 2000
Richard Eckard – The University of Melbourne & AV Ellinbank
Page 26 of 29
Summary of potentially applicable activities in Greenhouse:
Notes handed out prior to workshop (cont)
Recent Reviews and desktop studies
1. Eckard R.J., Dalley D., Crawford M. (2000). Greenhouse Gas Sources and
Sinks, and Impacts of Potential Management Changes on Greenhouse Gas
Emissions and Sequestration from Dairy Production Systems in Australia. In:
"Management Options for Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural, Rangeland &
Forestry Ecosystems" Keenan R. (ed), Workshop Proceedings CRC for
Greenhouse Accounting, 25 May 2000, ANU, Canberra. pp. 58 – 77.
2. McCrabb G. (2000). Review of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Australian
Dairy Farms DRDC Project Code: CSA006 11 August 2000, CSIRO
Livestock Industries, Rockhampton.
3. Webb R.M. (2000). Audit of the carbon balance on a mixed enterprise, grazing
farm in south-west Victoria. Agriculture Victoria, Pastoral and Veterinary
Research Institute, Hamilton.
Proposed Projects:
Goulburn Broken Catchment Regional Greenhouse Gas Abatement and Sustainability
Program – Project Proposal Submitted to Australian Greenhouse Office in September
2000.
Current research potentially applicable to SE Australia:
Nitrous oxide/denitrification
1. Best management practices for nitrogen in intensive pasture production
systems (DRDC DAV413) – Richard Eckard
2. Soil, water and nitrogen dynamics under perennial and annual pastures:
TPSKP southern site M.417 (LWRRDC MRC3) - Prof RE (Robert) White,
The University of Melbourne
Methane:
1. A Vaccine for Methane mitigation in ruminants – Dr Sue Baker, CSIRO
Livestock Industries, Perth.
2. Improve the nutritive value of Mediterranean pastures - Dr DB Purser, CSIRO
Animal Production, Blacktown.
3. Joint project between Dr Keith Joblin, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston
North and Dr Gerard Fonty, National Institute for Agricultural Research,
France studying methane producing microbes in cows and sheep. “…five
percent of grazing sheep produce much less methane than expected, indicates
that there are natural mechanisms in play that affect methane emissions.”
Completed Research potentially applicable to SE Australia:
1. To quantify the rate of emission of the greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N2O)
from legume-based pastures in south-eastern Australia - Ian Galbally, CSIRO
Atmospheric Research.
2. Evaluating the opportunities and costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions
from Australian beef cattle, sheep and wheat cropping industries – Dr Mark
Howden,
Greenhouse Issues in the Grazing Industries
Workshop Notes 15th November 2000 – Richard Eckard
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Other recent Australian and New Zealand References:
Notes handed out prior to workshop (cont)
Barson, M.M. (1998). Carbon sinks and carbon budgets for Soil and Vegetation
Resources. A paper for the National Land and Water Resources Audit,
Canberra.
Crawford, M.C. (1997). Quantification of the belowground inputs of organic carbon
by the annual pasture legume barrel medic (Medicago truncatula Gaertn.).
Ph.D. thesis. The University of Adelaide, South Australia. 192 pp.
Howden S.M. and Reyenga P.J. (1998). Methane emissions from Australian livestock.
In: Meeting the Kyoto Target. Implications for the Australian Livestock
Industries. P.J Reyenga. and S.M. Howden (Eds). Bureau of Rural Sciences,
55-61.
Joblin K.N. (1998). Acetogens – opportunities and constraints to use in the rumen. In Meeting
the Kyoto Target. Implications for the Australian Livestock Industries. P.J Reyenga.
and S.M. Howden (Eds). Bureau of Rural Sciences, 39-44.
Judd M.J., Kellier F.M., Ulyatt M.J., Lassey K.R., Tate K.R., Shelton D.I., Harveys
M.J. and Walker, C.F. (1999). Net methane emissions from grazing sheep.
Global Change Biology 5, 647-57.
Lassey K.R., Lowe D.C., Manning M.R. and Waghorn G.C. (1992). A source
inventory for atmospheric methane in New Zealand and its global
perspective. Journal of Geophysical Research 97, 3751-3765.
Lassey K.R., Ulyatt M.J., Martin R.J., Walker C.F. and Shelton D.I. (1997). Methane
emissions measured directly from grazing livestock in New Zealand.
Atmospheric Environment 31, 2905-2914.
Skjemstad, J.O. (1996). Climate change. Determining the potential for carbon
sequestration in Australian soils. CSIRO Soils Division. RIRDC Final
Report - CSO-5A. 66pp.
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research Volume 50 Number 8 1999
Meeting the Kyoto target: implications for the Australian livestock industries
Baker S. K. (1999). Rumen methanogens, and inhibition of methanogenesis.
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 50, 8. 1293
Hegarty R. S. (1999). Mechanisms for competitively reducing ruminal
methanogenesis. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 50, 8. 1299
Hegarty R. S. (1999). Reducing rumen methane emissions through elimination of
rumen protozoa. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 50, 8. 1321
Howden S. M., Reyenga P. J. (1999). Methane emissions from Australian livestock:
implications of the Kyoto Protocol. Australian Journal of Agricultural
Research, 50, 8. 1285
Joblin K. N. (1999). Ruminal acetogens and their potential to lower ruminant methane
emissions. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 50, 8. 1307
Klieve A. V., Hegarty R. S. (1999). Opportunities for biological control of ruminal
methanogenesis. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 50, 8. 1315
McCrabb G. J., Hunter R. A. (1999). Prediction of methane emissions from beef cattle
in tropical production systems. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research,
50, 8. 1335
Reyenga P.J. & Howden S.M. (1998). Meeting the Kyoto Target - Implications for the
Australian Livestock Industries. Workshop proceedings Canberra, 4–5 November
1998, Bureau of Rural Sciences
Greenhouse Issues in the Grazing Industries
Workshop Notes 15th November 2000 – Richard Eckard
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Ulyatt M. J., Baker S. K., McCrabb G. J., Lassey K. R. (1999). Accuracy of SF6
tracer technology and alternatives for field measurements. Australian Journal
of Agricultural Research, 50, 8. 1329
Summary of conclusions Meeting the Kyoto Target - Implications for the Australian
Livestock Industries. Workshop proceedings Canberra, 4–5 November 1998,
Bureau of Rural Sciences:
1. Some feasible scenarios of emissions trading arising from the Kyoto Protocol
could pose a threat to the livestock sector if these industries don’t actively
participate in the development of policy guidelines and R&D. If, however,
these industries are pro-active there could be significant opportunities. The
establishment of explicit policies that guide the implementation of the Kyoto
Protocol was seen as a priority as it will determine the nature of the response
needed.
2. Industry’s efforts to improve animal productivity are already reducing
methane emissions per unit of product. If this trend continues then it may be
possible to achieve the Kyoto 108% target with current scenarios of industry
growth. However, without research, development and adoption of new
emission-reduction technologies, it is unlikely that there would be a
substantial shrinkage in emissions without significant downsizing of this
sector.
3. Significant emission reductions could be achieved through the development of
new technologies. There are currently a number of research avenues that show
potential to reduce emissions substantially while increasing animal
productivity. At present most receive little research funding in Australia.
4. Australia should invest in the development and commercialisation of these
technologies rather than wait to buy them from other countries. There are
opportunities for green house ‘credits’ if Australia uses these technologies in
Joint Implementation (JI) and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
activities. There are also opportunities to enhance the image of Australian
industries.
5. Funding for research and development should come from both industry and
government as reducing emissions relates to both business advantage and the
‘national good’. The existing commitment is small.
6. Greater collaboration and consultation is needed between industry, scientists
and both Commonwealth and State policy makers in the development of
policy and research guidelines. Once established, continuity of both policies
and funding is important.
7. There is a need to inform the farming sector and the community as a whole
about why it is important to reduce emissions from the livestock sector and
how it can be done at least cost. This will be partly addressed in the
implementation plans for the National Greenhouse Strategy.
8. If Australia is to claim emission reductions from the livestock sector there is a
need to maintain and improve the statistics and science used to calculate
emissions. At the moment basic livestock statistics are deteriorating in detail
and frequency of collection whilst other necessary information is not
available. There is also a need to measure emissions experimentally to
establish better or new relationships between emissions and management
practices.
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