Fact sheet - Agriculture Plan

The Tasmanian Government has prepared the first five-year Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plan for the agriculture sector, in consultation with business, industry and the community.

The Plan brings together new, existing, and ongoing projects in the agriculture sector that will help us reduce emissions and build resilience to the changing climate.

Focus areas of the Plan

1. We will improve the data, information and knowledge needed to drive change.
2. We will support practices and technologies that will reduce emissions and increase carbon storage.
3. We will support the sector in the transition to a lower emissions economy.
4. We will build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
5. We will drive action through partnerships and collaboration.

In 2024, government staff met with key industry and business stakeholders to develop the Plan. The draft Plan was released in late 2024 for public comment. Feedback from consultation has been used to prepare the Plan.

Key new actions

• Support for agri-food businesses to better understand climate-related risks to meet changing regulatory and market demands.
• Partner in the national Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC.
• Work with the Australian Government to find opportunities for Tasmania to reduce emissions from the agriculture and land sector.
• Consider climate change impacts as part of Tasmania’s annual Agribusiness Insights Report.
• Review the $250,000 Carbon Farming Advice Rebate Pilot Program to ensure it complements new national programs.
• Coordinate action between Tasmania’s primary industries, research, government, supply chains and other key groups to reduce emissions and build resilience.

The Agriculture Plan also includes future funding priorities to guide action over the next five years.

The new commitments in the Plan are in addition to the extensive work already underway by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania to sustainably grow Tasmania’s primary industries.

Snapshot of the agriculture sector

Greenhouse gas emissions

Agri-food industries are essential to our communities and our economy, providing jobs, food, fibres and other products we use in our daily lives. Farmers are important land managers, responsible for significant carbon stores in soils and vegetation. However, the emissions from livestock, manure management, and the application of soil conditioners and fertilisers make agriculture Tasmania’s largest emitting sector. The agriculture sector currently makes up one third of our total emissions, excluding the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector.

Emissions from seafood industries are mainly from energy use, and are not accounted for in the agriculture sector. However, these industries are an important part of Tasmania’s agri-food system and major contributors to our economy. The Agriculture Plan considers aquaculture and fisheries where possible.

Find out more about Tasmania’s greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and other sectors in our annual greenhouse gas report

Climate-related risks and opportunities

Climate change brings significant risks for farmers but also for Tasmania as a whole. For example, increased temperatures will impact the suitability of different regions to grow or make different types of produce, and will also result in biosecurity risks. Changes in rainfall patterns will impact water availability, growing season length and growing conditions.

The impacts of the changing climate can also lead to reduced food production, loss of employment, and flow-on impacts to our industries, communities and trade. Climate change can also impact the mental health of farmers and communities who are experiencing drought and extreme events, which are expected to increase in frequency and intensity.

The global transition to low emissions brings both risks and opportunities for Tasmania’s primary industries. For example, consumers, markets, investors, the Australian Government and international trading partners are increasingly requiring producers to report on and take steps to reduce emissions.

Tasmania’s agriculture sector can benefit from our reputation for high quality and environmentally sustainable produce. There are also opportunities to increase productivity, reduce costs and explore new revenue streams.

Find out more about the Tasmanian Government’s action to build resilience to the impacts of climate change in our response to Tasmania’s Risk Assessment for Climate Change 2024