State of Play Report - Agriculture

Reducing our emissions

Tasmania recorded net zero greenhouse gas emissions for the first time in 2014, and we have maintained our net zero status in the years since. However, our emissions profile is not guaranteed into the future, and we know we must do more to maintain our net zero status by reducing emissions in all our sectors, while also increasing the carbon stored in our managed forested state.

Tasmania’s legislated economy-wide target of net zero emissions, or lower, from 2030, provides a flexible approach to emissions reduction and acknowledges that different sectors have different opportunities to reduce their emissions. For some sectors, more time, support and technology will be needed to transition to a low emissions future. To ensure a practical and balanced approach to reducing emissions from our key sectors and building resilience to climate change, Tasmania’s climate change legislation includes a requirement to develop sector-based Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plans (Plans).

Under the Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008, the agriculture Plan is to be prepared by November 2024.

This State of Play Report has been prepared as the first step to prepare a Plan for the agriculture sector in Tasmania. It provides an overview of the agriculture sector in Tasmania to identify gaps and future opportunities for the draft Plan, which will be released for public consultation.

Tasmania’s agriculture sector

Agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries are major contributors to the Tasmanian economy and community. 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, currently making up one third of our total emissions excluding the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector.

There is an increasing expectation, in domestic markets and from global trading partners, that the agriculture sector will report on and take steps to reduce emissions. Trading partners such as the European Union are introducing carbon import tariff mechanisms, and along supply chains, food manufacturers and retailers are setting emissions reduction and other sustainability-related targets. Among consumers, the demand for food that is produced in environmentally and socially responsible ways is growing, and sustainably certified products can attract premium prices. These changes bring challenges and risks for Tasmania’s agriculture sector, but also opportunities to benefit from Tasmania’s clean, green brand, increase productivity, reduce costs and explore new revenue streams.

Farmers on the Bass Strait Islands and mainland Tasmania are being impacted by unseasonably dry conditions in 2024. Under a changing climate, events such as these are projected to become more frequent and intense. Changing rainfall patterns, as well as increased risk of bushfires, storms and floods and rising land and water temperature present a major risk to both land-based and marine primary production, including impacts on our biosecurity. Tasmania’s primary producers have a long history of adapting to climate variability and are well placed to make the most of existing knowledge and practices to increase their resilience to a changing climate.

There are many initiatives already underway across Tasmania, Australia and the world to reduce emissions from agriculture and increase the resilience of the sector to the impacts of climate change. However, there are opportunities to build on the current work to address barriers and accelerate the uptake of opportunities to ensure we have safe, reliable sources of food, fibres and other essential products into the future.

Tasmania’s Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008 (the Act) sets out the government’s agenda for action on climate change. Under the Act, Tasmania’s emissions reduction target is to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions, or lower, in Tasmania from 30 June 2030. To help us achieve this goal, the Act requires the government to develop five-yearly sector-based Plans in consultation with business and industry. The Plans will support a practical and balanced approach for our key sectors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to climate change.

The Plans must support greenhouse gas emissions reduction, the transition to a low emissions economy, and resilience to climate‑related risks. The legislation also requires that the objects of the Act are taken into account during the development of the Plans. The objects of the Act include supporting emissions reduction, adaptation, and a consultative, partnership approach to action on climate change.

Plans must be developed for the following sectors:

• energy
• transport
• industrial processes and product use (IPPU)
• agriculture
• land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF)
• waste
• any other sector or sub-sector determined by the Minister (the government has committed to develop a Plan for government operations).

A whole-of-economy roadmap outlining the links and cross-cutting issues between all sectoral plans and Tasmania’s first statewide climate change risk assessment will also be developed.

Delivery and timeframes

Under the Act, the Plan for the agriculture sector is to be prepared by November 2024. The Minister for Energy and Renewables, as minister responsible for climate change, is to consult with each relevant portfolio Minister, and with business and industry representatives, to develop the Plans. The Minister is also required to publicly consult on each draft Plan.

The Plans are to be tabled in Parliament and updated at least every five years. This work is being led by the Climate Change Office in Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania (ReCFIT) in collaboration with relevant portfolio agencies.

Why sector-based emissions reduction and resilience planning?

The latest data[1] show that Tasmania recorded net zero greenhouse gas emissions for the first time in 2014 and has maintained its net zero status in the nine reported years since. Our emissions profile is largely due to the carbon sink in our managed forest estate and our longstanding investment in renewable electricity generation.

However, our emissions profile is not guaranteed into the future. Emissions are influenced by a range of factors such as population growth, major bushfire events, changes in consumer demand, market forces and technological advancements. We know we must do more to maintain our net zero status by reducing emissions in all our sectors, while also increasing the carbon stored in our forests.[2]

The AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)[3] confirms that humans are causing global warming and makes it clear that we need to act now. Global temperatures are now 1.1˚C above pre-industrial levels and are likely to reach 1.5˚C above pre‑industrial levels in the early 2030s. In Tasmania, the environmental, economic and social impacts of climate change are already affecting our businesses, industries, communities, built environment and our natural values. It is important that we adapt effectively to a changing climate and build strong, resilient communities, while continuing to reduce our emissions.

A consistent theme from consultation on the government’s action on climate change is that a partnership between government and industry is the preferred approach to support emissions reduction, transition to a low emissions economy and build resilience in Tasmanian businesses and industries.

Purpose of this State of Play Report

This State of Play Report (Report) has been developed to support the requirement to prepare a Plan for the agriculture sector and to guide consultation. This Report provides a high-level summary of Tasmania’s agriculture sector, its emissions, and the impacts of climate change on the sector. It also outlines emissions reduction and resilience opportunities and barriers, and relevant policies and actions at the local, national and international level.

This Report identifies gaps and future opportunities for the draft Plan, which will be released for public consultation in mid-2024.

[1] Tasmania’s latest reported greenhouse gas emissions were released in April 2024 as part of the Australian Government’s National Greenhouse Accounts 2022 and State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories 2022. The Australian Government reporting framework is consistent with UNFCCC and Paris Agreement reporting rules. National inventory reporting runs two years behind the current date, and represents the most recent official data in Australia on annual emissions.

[2] Point Advisory and Indufor (2021) ‘2021 Update of Tasmania’s Emissions Pathway Review – technical report’ (prepared for the Tasmanian Climate Change Office) www.recfit.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/492093/Tasmanian_Emissions_Pathway_Review_-_Technical_Report.pdf

[3] IPCC (2023) ‘Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report - Summary for Policymakers’ www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/

The sectors identified for the development of Plans are based on the sectors identified in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) greenhouse gas reporting framework.

The agriculture Plan will consider the emissions directly accounted for in the agriculture sector under the UNFCCC framework, and will also consider other agriculture-related emissions where relevant. These emissions will also be considered as part of the other relevant Plans, for example for transport, energy and LULUCF. The agriculture Plan includes aquaculture and fisheries.

The Plan will also consider the transition of Tasmania’s agriculture sector to a low emissions economy, and how we can build resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Relationship between agriculture and other sectors

Due to the nature of the agriculture sector and the UNFCCC reporting framework, there is overlap between agriculture and other sectors. The reporting framework means that for some agricultural industries, such as aquaculture, the majority of emissions are accounted for in other sectors. We recognise the importance of taking a holistic, systems-based approach to developing the Plans. These industries will be considered in the agriculture Plan but are also being considered in the other relevant Plans where appropriate.

There are particularly strong links between the agriculture and LULUCF sectors, so these Plans are being developed concurrently to ensure all issues are considered across both Plans, and to support more efficient consultation with stakeholders. The future opportunities identified in all sector-based Plans will be combined and inform the development of Tasmania’s next climate change action plan, including the identification of priorities and gaps not addressed through the development of the sector-based Plans.

Agriculture, seafood and food value adding are major contributors to Tasmania’s economy. The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector directly employs around 14,000 people across the state, with many more employed along supply chains.[1] The value of the sector has grown significantly in recent years, and the farm gate value reached $2.34 billion in 2021‑22. The value of the seafood sector in 2020-21 was an additional $1.3 billion.[2] Tasmania’s diverse agriculture sector includes:

• dairy and livestock such as beef, lamb, pork, poultry, and wool
• fruits, nuts and vegetables
• grapes and winemaking
• seafood
• field crops including wheat, barley, seeds, poppies, hemp, pyrethrum and hops
• niche produce such as honey, truffles, herbs, cut flowers, bulbs and essential oils.

The sector provides a safe reliable source of food to homes and businesses across Tasmania, Australia and the world – exporting to over 50 countries. Much of Tasmania’s food production is marketed and recognised as fresh, premium produce. The majority of Tasmania’s agri-food production is derived from larger producers. However, many of the premium and value-added products sold in Tasmania come from small-scale producers, directly supporting the state’s important agri-tourism industry, the strong Tasmanian brand and creating jobs in rural communities.

Agricultural production in Tasmania is supported by the state’s temperate maritime climate and the moderating influence of the Southern Ocean, which provide regular rainfall in some regions, and conditions that are generally free from extremes in temperature. As an island, Tasmania also has a significant biosecurity advantage. Tasmania has a strong pool of agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries expertise, at both the farm level and in our research institutions, including the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) and the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Science (IMAS).

Issues impacting the sector to be considered as part of the development of the Plan:

• high interest rates and insurance costs mean the costs of operating farm businesses are rising
• elevated inflation in Australia means savings rates are now at record lows, and many households are expected to continue trading down to cheaper agrifood products
• strong population and income growth in Australia’s key agricultural export markets such as central and southeast Asia, increasing demand for food exports
• increasing global supply chain pressures as the escalating geopolitical and military conflict in parts of the world continues
• the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions on labour and skills, access to freight, and increased costs of agricultural inputs such as fertilisers and fuel.[3]

Roles and responsibilities

Greenhouse gas emissions

Tasmania’s agriculture sector accounted for approximately 33 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions in 2022, excluding the LULUCF sector.[4]

The sector’s emissions have increased by 3 per cent since 1990. Changes in emissions from the sector have historically been primarily driven by livestock numbers, including a declining sheep flock, increasing dairy cattle herd, and relatively stable beef cattle herd since 1990.[5]

Figure 1: Tasmanian agriculture sector emissions - 1990 to 2022 (mt CO₂-e)

Figure 2: Tasmanian agriculture emissions by sub-sector - 2022

The majority of the emissions for the agriculture sector are methane from enteric fermentation, and nitrous oxide from soil management.

Methane and nitrous oxide are potent greenhouse gases which trap significantly more heat per tonne than carbon dioxide. After around a decade, methane breaks down into carbon dioxide and water vapour. Nitrous oxide lasts in the atmosphere for over 100 years, and also depletes the ozone layer.

Emissions for all gases are reported as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂-e) based on the warming caused by the gas over 100 years (this is the ‘global warming potential’ or GWP of each gas) to allow for comparison between gases.

Source: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) 2024, State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories 2022

Agriculture emissions under the UNFCCC framework

Other agriculture-related emissions

In Australia’s greenhouse gas reports, the agriculture-related emissions that are accounted for in other sectors are aggregated with other industries, as follows:

• Use of fuels for transport purposes on farms, fisheries, aquaculture facilities and along supply chains is accounted for in the transport sector.
• Use of electricity and fuels to power machinery on farms, aquaculture, fisheries, and in the processing of produce is accounted for in the energy sector.
• The emissions produced by agricultural waste that ends up in landfill are accounted for in the waste sector.
• Nitrous oxide emissions from the production of finfish and crustaceans in aquaculture systems located in coastal wetlands are accounted for in the LULUCF sector.
• Carbon emissions from land clearing are accounted for in the LULUCF sector.
• Carbon sequestration in soils, trees and crops is accounted for in the LULUCF sector.

Private Forests Tasmania is delivering the Integrated Farm Forestry Demonstration Sites Program to develop landscape-scale best practice forestry plantings in north west, northern and southern Tasmania. There have been two rounds of demonstration sites, resulting in over 500 hectares of new farm forestry plantings. The Stems for CO2 grant program, launched in 2024, builds on the success of this program.

Factors influencing Tasmania’s agriculture emissions

The majority (76 per cent) of Tasmania’s agriculture emissions come from enteric fermentation. Changes in emissions from this sub-sector historically largely reflect increases or decreases in herd numbers. Herd numbers also impact the emissions from manure management.

Agricultural soils are the next largest contributor to agriculture emissions after enteric fermentation, currently making up around 15 per cent of total emissions for the sector.

Herd numbers

According to the latest available data, Tasmania has approximately 2.6 million head of sheep, and over 700,000 cattle.[6] These each represent 3 per cent of Australia’s total cattle and sheep.

Tasmania’s cattle numbers grew 20 per cent between 2016 and 2021. The largest growth was experienced in the north of the state, with Waratah-Wynyard and Latrobe each having 10 times the cattle they had in 2016.[7]

Herd numbers can be influenced by a range of factors, including, local, national and international demand for livestock products, prices of products and availability, and costs of labour. Supply of livestock also plays a role, which in turn is heavily influenced by weather conditions, including droughts, where livestock numbers usually decrease significantly.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides the agricultural data used to report emissions from enteric fermentation. The ABS is currently delivering a program to modernise its agricultural statistics to improve their accuracy and coherence with other data sources, provide more timely data and insights on emerging issues, and reduce the burden for farmers and agribusinesses when providing information.

Fertiliser use

Tasmania’s emissions from agricultural soils have increased by 25 per cent since 1990. This increase is broadly consistent with national trends, and reflects an increased application of nitrogen fertilisers.[8] Nitrogen fertilisers are now used more widely relative to alternatives methods of nitrogen management, such as integration of legumes into crops and pastures. The increase also reflects the increased intensity of many farming systems.[9]

There is a significant amount of research and development currently underway across Australia to develop and implement strategies for reducing nitrous oxide emissions while maintaining or increasing productivity.

Impacts of climate change on Tasmania’s agriculture sector

Under a changing climate, we are expected to experience increased storm events and changes in rainfall patterns, which are likely to result in increased flooding, coastal inundation and erosion. We are also expected to experience increased temperatures, more hot days and heatwaves, and longer fire seasons in Tasmania, with more frequent and intense bushfire events. We are expected to experience marine heatwaves, rising sea levels and increased windspeed. Extreme weather events are projected to increase in frequency and intensity over time.

The changes to the climate across Australia are already impacting farms. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) estimates that changes in seasonal conditions from 2001 to 2020 have reduced annual average farm profits across Australia by 23 per cent or around $29,200 per farm.[10]

Farmers on the Bass Strait Islands and mainland Tasmania are being impacted by unseasonably dry and drought conditions in 2024. Under a changing climate, events such as these are projected to become more frequent and intense. Changing rainfall patterns, as well as increased risk of bushfires, storms and floods present a major risk to land-based agricultural practices. Drought often leads to less food and water stores for animals and other farm uses, increased feed prices, and can also cause damage to farmable land. Increased rainfall, storms and floods can also have devastating impacts on the sector, including increased incidence of diseases and damage to crops and infrastructure. Bushfires present a major risk to farmland, including smoke damage to crops and produce on land not directly impacted by the fire.

As Tasmania’s marine environments get warmer and more acidic, sea levels rise and extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, ocean-based aquaculture and fisheries will be impacted. These changes will affect nutrient availability and growing conditions, variability in the abundance and distribution of fish stocks, changing breeding behaviours, and changes to the health of aquaculture sites, which will impact the health of the marine animals living in them.[11]

The project was heavily reliant on engagement from the recreational fishing community and multiple citizen science initiatives, as well as historical data. The results provide important baseline and predictive information on these species for effective management of these fisheries in Tasmania.

Increased temperatures across the state will also result in changes to Tasmania’s biosecurity. It is likely that a range species, for example the Queensland fruit fly, will find the future climate in Tasmania more suitable than current conditions. In our marine environments, warming waters are already encouraging the presence of long-spined sea urchins along Tasmania’s coastline, which can have devastating impacts on kelp beds and reef dependent species such as abalone, rock lobster and fish.[13]

These are significant risks for farmers, but also for Tasmania as a whole, and can lead to reduced food production, loss of employment, and flow-on impacts to our industries, communities and trade. The risks can also include adverse impacts on the mental health of affected farmers and communities.

Enterprise suitability maps help farmers or investors match local soil and climate information with the right crops for those conditions. NRE Tas has produced enterprise suitability maps for a total of 32 crops grown in Tasmania. The maps show how these crops could be grown productively in the future under different climate scenarios, to support farmers, industry, and investors to make informed decisions.

Risks for the agriculture sector in the transition to a low emissions economy

Transition risks are the risks and challenges associated with the transition to a low emissions economy. They can arise from changes in policy, shifts in market preferences, and technological advancements. Transition risks for the agriculture sector include an increasing need for agricultural businesses along supply chains to demonstrate environmentally sustainable practices to:

• remain competitive as market and consumer expectations and preferences shift
• access both domestic and international markets, including by minimising potential increased costs of trade due to the adoption of carbon border measures by international trading partners
• comply with changing regulations, including the climate-related financial disclosure requirements, which are proposed to commence in Australia for large businesses from 1 January 2025[15]
• benefit from sustainability credentials
• maintain their social licence
• access financing (for example, many of Australia’s major banks have signed up to the Net Zero Banking Alliance[16], which commits to align lending and investment portfolios with pathways to net zero by 2050 or sooner)
• access insurance (some insurers are already asking farming businesses to take steps to reduce the risks of the impacts of climate change).

As landholders, many farmers have opportunities to generate carbon credits, for example through increasing tree plantings on their properties or adopting farm management practices that increase soil carbon. If sold through carbon markets, carbon credits cannot be included in on-farm emissions calculations. This restriction avoids double counting of emissions reductions, as the credits are then owned by a different business. This arrangement can lead to challenges when producers are required to demonstrate, for example by buyers along supply chains, that they have low emissions on-farm. It is important that farmers have access to trusted, independent advice about the risks and benefits of participation in carbon markets.

There are ongoing tensions between land uses that will be affected in the transition to a low emissions economy. Tasmania’s agricultural land is essential for our food security, but it can also play an important role in carbon storage and providing land for renewable energy infrastructure, transmission and feedstocks. Agricultural land may also play an increasing role in the preservation and restoration of biodiversity values. It is important to consider the need for sustainable food production, especially in the context of a changing climate, together with the need to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration.

[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics (February 2024) Employed persons by State, Territory and Industry division of main job (ANZSIC), www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia-detailed/latest-release

[2] Agrigrowth Tasmania, Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (2024), Tasmanian Agri-Food ScoreCard 2021-22, nre.tas.gov.au/Documents/Tasmanian%20Agri-Food%20ScoreCard%202021-22.pdf

[3] Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (March 2024) Agricultural Commodities Report: March quarter 2024, Volume 14, Issue 1, www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/agricultural-outlook

[4] Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) (2024) ‘State and Territory emissions’ www.greenhouseaccounts.climatechange.gov.au/

[5] Point Advisory and Indufor (2021) ‘2021 Update of Tasmania’s Emissions Pathway Review – technical report’ (prepared for the Tasmanian Climate Change Office) recfit.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/348948/Tasmanian_Emissions_Pathway_Review_-_Technical_Report.pdfhttps://www.recfit.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/492093/Tasmanian_Emissions_Pathway_Review_-_Technical_Report.pdf

[6] Australia Bureau of Statistics (2023) Agricultural Commodities, Australia, www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/agriculture/agricultural-commodities-australia/latest-release

[7] Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) (2023) Australia’s cattle herd in a state of change, www.mla.com.au/news-and-events/industry-news/australias-cattle-herd-in-a-state-of-change/

[8] N₂O Network, Queensland University of Technology, Information for Policy Makers, www.n2o.net.au/information/for-policy-makers/

[9] Rawnsley, R P et al., (2019) Current and future direction of nitrogen fertiliser use in Australian grazing systems. Crop and Pasture Science 70, 1034-1043, www.publish.csiro.au/CP/CP18566

[10] www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-statement-on-climate-change-agriculture.pdf

[11] Pearson, R and Connolly, R, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (2016) ‘Climate change impacts on coastal fisheries and aquaculture’ CoastAdapt Impact Sheet 7, coastadapt.com.au/sites/default/files/factsheets/T312_8_Fisheries%20and%20aquaculture.pdf

[12] www.frdc.com.au/project/2018-070

[13] Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, Long-spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus RodgersII), www.imas.utas.edu.au/research/fisheries-and-aquaculture/fisheries/Long-spined-sea-urchin-Centrostephanus-Rodgersii

[14] nre.tas.gov.au/agriculture/investing-in-irrigation/enterprise-suitability-toolkit

[15] For more information see Australian Treasury’s Climate-related financial disclosure: exposure draft legislation released in January 2024, available at treasury.gov.au/consultation/c2024-466491

[16] www.unepfi.org/net-zero-banking/

Emissions reduction opportunities

Some emissions reduction opportunities for the agriculture sector are available to be adopted now, while others require further research, investment and time before they are technically and economically feasible.

The 2021 Tasmanian Emissions Pathway Review[1] identified 16 “best-fit” opportunities for emissions reduction in Tasmania, two of which directly relate to the agricultural sector under the UNFCCC emissions accounting framework – low methane livestock and precision agriculture. There are a range of other opportunities that can reduce emissions in the agriculture and other sectors.

Livestock

Given that emissions from livestock make up approximately one quarter of Tasmania’s total emissions, excluding LULUCF, lowering methane emissions from livestock has the largest emissions reduction potential of the 16 opportunities identified in the Emissions Pathway Review. Reducing methane emissions is likely to play an important role in maintaining and improving Tasmania’s net zero status into the future. However, this opportunity depends on the successful commercialisation of relevant technologies, and of the potential for their broadscale uptake on Tasmanian farms. This opportunity will require consideration of issues such as estimated costs to producers, impacts on productivity, availability of the relevant technology in Tasmania, and any other social, economic or environmental benefits and impacts.

There are several types of feed supplements that can reduce methane from enteric fermentation. Evidence indicates that some technologies may reduce emissions by over 80 per cent under ideal conditions.[2] These feed supplements inhibit the production of methane during the digestive process. Technologies include synthetic formulas, seaweed, essential oils and biochar. Different technologies are already being trialled on a number of Tasmanian farms. Both the state and Australian governments are committed to supporting the successful commercialisation of these technologies.

These technologies can build on established practices that can support emissions reduction from livestock. Existing practices include herd management strategies such as earlier breeding and slaughter, pasture management, and selective breeding.

To reduce emissions from the manure produced by livestock, there are options to install biogas capture and use systems, apply urease inhibitors, and aerate and compost manure.

TasFarmers, in collaboration with the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA), Fonterra, Annandale Dairy Farm, Sea Forest and beef feedlot AEON, are the successful applicants to the Tasmanian Government’s $4 million Low Emissions Livestock Grant Program[3]

The grant, together with co-investment from the project partners, will fund a commercial-scale trial of Sea Forest’s Asparagopsis seaweed feed supplements in both beef and dairy cattle, and demonstrate:

• the commercial viability of using a low emissions feed supplement produced in Tasmania
• the emissions reduction from livestock receiving the feed supplements
• the benefits of low emissions feed supplements to Tasmania’s agriculture sector, through targeted education and awareness activities.

Cropping, horticulture and pastures

Cropping, horticulture and pasture management contribute nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions. The majority are related to the use of fertilisers. Technologies and practices to reduce these emissions include:

• Precision agriculture - for example by using data on soil health, crop yields and other metrics, fertilisers can be applied more accurately to crops. This can reduce the use of emissions-intensive fertilisers and save producers time and money, as well as increasing crop yields.
• Use of slow-release and nitrogen inhibitor-coated fertilisers.
• Increased use of legumes in crop rotations can also reduce the need for nitrogen fertilisers.
• Use of biochar to improve soil health and reduce fertiliser input, while also increasing soil carbon sequestration.

Plant genetics can also reduce emissions, for example by increasing the nitrogen uptake efficiency in plants through selective breeding or use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). However, since 2001, Tasmania has maintained a moratorium on the commercial release of GMOs to the Tasmanian environment. Tasmania’s GMO-free status is an important part of Tasmania’s reputation for high-quality produce.

Fisheries and aquaculture

Emissions from seafood production are generally lower than from land-based proteins such as beef and lamb.[5] The emissions are accounted for across several sectors, including fuels used in fishing vessels, energy use in facilities, and along supply chains such as emissions associated with the manufacture and transport of fish feed.

Opportunities to reduce emissions from energy are outlined below and will also be addressed in the Plan for the energy sector. Opportunities to reduce emissions from transport are considered in the Plan for the transport sector, and will also be considered in the agriculture sector Plan.

Carbon sequestration

Over 1.5 million hectares, or 22 per cent, of land in Tasmania is agricultural land.[6] As major landholders, primary producers have opportunities to undertake projects that will increase carbon stores in soils and vegetation. These projects can have many co-benefits, including increased resilience to the impacts of climate change through improved soil health, water quality and biodiversity, as well as improved productivity. Projects can either demonstrate the emissions reduction to supply chains and consumers, or generate income through the sale of carbon credits. Opportunities include:

• increasing tree plantings on properties for carbon, biodiversity and other benefits, or for timber production
• reducing the clearing of forest land, and reforestation of land that has been cleared
• increasing the carbon stored in soils through changed farm management practices (noting that under a changing climate, increased temperatures and fire risk, and changes in water availability, may reduce the ability of soil to store carbon)

For aquaculture and fisheries, there may be opportunities to invest in marine habitat conservation and restoration, and seaweed farming, to increase carbon sequestration in marine vegetation (‘blue carbon’).

Agricultural waste

The organic waste from farms, aquaculture, and fisheries can produce significant emissions if not managed appropriately. When organic products end up in landfill, they undergo anaerobic digestion and generate methane. Although the agriculture sector is directly responsible for the landfilling of a small amount of organic waste, a large amount of food does end up in landfill along the value chain – from processing, retail and hospitality, as well as household waste. Reducing the organic waste that ends up in landfill requires collaboration from the agriculture sector, processors, retailers, businesses, consumers, and local government.

Agricultural waste products are commonly applied to land and can be a valuable soil conditioner when managed appropriately. However, this process can also result in emissions (accounted for in the ‘agricultural soils’ subsector) and can have other environmental and health impacts.

There are a range of opportunities to reduce emissions from agricultural waste and turn it into products of value, such as bioenergy, biochar, animal feed, mulch, compost and bioplastics. These opportunities will be considered in both the agriculture and waste emissions reduction and resilience plans. They are also considered in the Tasmanian Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2023-26[7] and the Bioenergy Vision for Tasmania[8].

Energy

Tasmania has 100 per cent renewable electricity generation capacity. This means that installing renewable electricity sources on farms can have less emissions reduction potential than in other jurisdictions. However, on-farm renewable electricity can reduce electricity costs for producers, and there are also potential opportunities to sell excess electricity back to the grid, providing a source of income.

Australian farmers are highly dependent on diesel, which not only produces greenhouse gas emissions but also exposes farmers to fluctuations in costs and availability, as the majority of Australian diesel is imported. There are emerging opportunities to displace fossil fuels with lower carbon bioenergy, battery electric or hydrogen fuel cells. On-farm generation and use of bioenergy from agricultural wastes can also reduce waste management costs and reduce energy costs.

Ensuring machinery and vehicles are well-maintained and used in the most efficient way, or upgrading emissions-intensive equipment for more energy efficient alternatives, can also help to reduce emissions. Precision agriculture can also reduce the use of fuels and electricity by increasing efficiency.

Resilience opportunities

Adaptation to the physical impacts of climate change

The management of the risks and opportunities under a changing climate will vary across Tasmania’s diverse agriculture sector. It is important that we develop long-term resilience to these changes in our farms and rural communities, rather than only providing assistance in the aftermath of extreme events.

Adaptation opportunities for farms, fisheries and aquaculture facilities may include:

• planning for future climate variability, for example preparing to change crop types and varieties or move to different aquaculture sites
• installing infrastructure, such as canopies, to protect crops from extreme weather conditions and pests, or upgrading pen infrastructure in fisheries to withstand extreme weather events
• nature-based solutions such as planting shelterbelts to provide livestock with shelter and shade
• breeding animals, fish and crops that are more resilient to the projected future climate and resulting biosecurity risks
• using data and technology to use water, fertilisers and other inputs more efficiently
• increasing irrigation efficiency
• strengthening biosecurity controls, at a national, state, local and farm level, to control the risk of pests under a changing climate
• working with Tasmanian Aboriginal groups to explore suitable cultural land management techniques, which could include fire management, burning and care of native grasslands on properties.

Integrating Aboriginal land management can bring significant benefits to landscapes and ecosystems, in turn increasing resilience under a changing climate. Aboriginal land management can reduce the impacts of wildfires, increase biodiversity, and improve soil quality and overall long‑term sustainability of land. Working with Aboriginal organisations and individuals to facilitate caring for Country can also support positive cultural, social, economic, and health and wellbeing outcomes for Tasmania’s Aboriginal people.

In addition to increasing preparedness, farmers and regional communities more broadly require support to deal with the financial and mental stress that will come with the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Support can include mental health services and rural financial counselling, as well as initiatives to increase social cohesion such as supporting community-led organisations, projects and events.

Resilience in the global transition to net zero

The most important way for farmers to increase their resilience to the risks outlined above is to take steps to measure, report on and reduce their on-farm emissions. This will allow farmers to demonstrate their emissions status along supply chains. As outlined above, the key emissions reduction opportunities for the sector also have a range of co-benefits such as improved productivity, soil health, water quality and biodiversity, and potential to generate income.

Maintaining Tasmania’s existing reputation for high-quality, ‘clean and green’ products will also support the sector as international standards and expectations shift.

Low-carbon liquid fuels made from biological feedstocks (biofuels) could support the sector to diversify and increase resilience under a changing climate. Across Australia, farmers are already large producers and exporters of feedstocks used in biofuel production. However, there is limited domestic production of biofuels. A domestic biofuel production industry could support the decarbonisation of industries that are currently unable to electrify. The development of a domestic biofuel refining industry in Australia could incentivise farmers to grow different crops to meet growing demand for feedstock, promoting diversification, potential to generate additional income and gain value from otherwise underutilised resources. The low carbon liquid fuels industry has been identified as a priority part of the Australian Government’s Future Made in Australia[9] policy agenda. The Tasmanian Government is also committed to supporting bioenergy in the state through the Bioenergy Vision for Tasmania[10] It is important that the use of land to meet food production, carbon sequestration, and other needs such as fuel and electricity generation, is carefully managed and planned for.

There are a range of emerging industries that can benefit from the global transition to net zero. For example, there is strong domestic demand for edible seaweed, which has a low environmental footprint. Asparagopsis seaweed, native to Tasmania, can be used to reduce methane emissions from cattle. The demand for industrial hemp for use in textiles and as an environmentally sustainable construction material is also growing.[11]

Independent analysis commissioned by the Tasmanian Government found that the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector is expected to benefit from the transition to net zero, largely due to increased productivity through the adoption of low methane livestock technologies and increased use of precision agriculture and digital technologies.[12]

Challenges and barriers

Consultation to date has highlighted several key barriers to the agriculture sector taking action on climate change. Barriers include:

• A lack of access to trusted, independent advice may be a barrier for some farmers adopting new technologies and farming practices. Effective, accessible education, information sharing and demonstration activities are needed, supporting farmers to accelerate adoption.
• A need for training in areas such as precision agriculture to ensure the workforce has the capability to reduce emissions and build resilience. The labour shortages facing the sector more broadly can create challenges in embedding the required skills and experience on our farms.
• Consultation has highlighted the need to take a holistic, systems-based approach to supporting farmers to understand, report on and reduce their on-farm emissions.
• The state, territory and national greenhouse gas accounts, administered by the Australian Government, use emission factors to determine greenhouse gas emissions for some activities. This means that some actions to reduce emissions at the farm level may not be captured in the data, and there are opportunities to improve how emissions reductions are estimated at a state, territory and national level to recognise the actions taken by business and industry.[13]
• Because most of the emissions from agriculture are a result of complex biological processes, the sector is hard to abate. Many of the opportunities for meaningful emissions reduction in the agriculture sector are not yet commercially available in Australia, or not economically feasible for many producers. Further research, development and extension is required to support their adoption in Tasmania.
• A large proportion of Tasmania’s agriculture sector is made up of small businesses, which can be disproportionately impacted by regulatory burden. It is important that Tasmania’s legislative and regulatory frameworks support the uptake of low emissions, climate‑resilient technologies and practices.
• Opportunities for delivering projects to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) can be limited in Tasmania’s smaller farming businesses. Projects are often too small to justify the associated administration and audit costs. This challenge could be addressed by supporting the aggregation of projects, or exploring alternative options to incentivise emissions reduction initiatives on smaller farms.
• While many emissions reduction and resilience opportunities have the potential to increase productivity, reduce costs and provide a range of other co-benefits in the long‑term, they require initial capital investment that can be a barrier to their adoption.

Government mechanisms to reduce these barriers where possible, or support the sector to overcome them, will be a key consideration in the Plan.

What mechanisms are available to overcome the barriers and support the adoption of the opportunities for the sector?

Broadly, policy options to support emissions reduction and resilience in the agriculture sector include:

• supporting education and awareness to accelerate adoption of different technologies and practices
• investing in research and development
• working directly with businesses, industries, research institutions, community groups and other levels of government to drive change
• providing financial support, such as grants, subsidies and no-interest loan schemes to incentivise the adoption of technologies and practices
• ensuring policy and regulatory settings support the uptake of relevant technologies and practices
• skills development and capacity building.

International

Australia is a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge[1], which sets an international target to reduce global methane emissions across all sectors by at least 30 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030.

Australia is also a part of several other relevant international initiatives including:

• the Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda on Agriculture (GBAA)[2], which has a goal to make “climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture the most attractive and widely adopted option by farmers everywhere by 2030”
• the Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate[3], focusing on increasing productivity to meet a growing population under a changing climate, while looking after biodiversity
• the Forests and Climate Leaders Partnership[4], aiming to accelerate global progress to reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030
• the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases[5], which provides a platform for knowledge-sharing between agricultural scientific researchers and policy makers.

Around the world, other countries are implementing various measures aimed at reducing emissions in the agriculture sector. The international experience demonstrates the importance of taking a consultative, flexible approach to action on climate change.

For example, in 2017 the former New Zealand Government committed to include agriculture in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS). The proposal required producers to pay a price on their on‑farm emissions from 2027. However, following feedback from industry, the New Zealand government has introduced legislation to ensure agriculture does not enter NZ ETS. The government stated that including agriculture in the NZ ETS would present “significant administrative, implementation, and compliance costs” to the sector. Instead, the government has committed to invest $400 million over four years to accelerate the commercialisation of tools and technology to measure and reduce on-farm emissions.[6]

The European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy,[7] part of the EU Green Deal, aims to make food systems “fair, healthy and environmentally friendly”. The Strategy includes regulatory and other measures, including establishment of advisory services, financial services, and investment in research and innovation. Following the release of the Strategy, farmers in the EU protested against several of the regulatory measures, claiming they place an unreasonable burden on the sector. A number of concessions have been made in different countries in response to the protests.

The introduction of carbon border tariffs in countries around the world may also impact Tasmania’s agriculture sector. Carbon border tariffs are a mechanism aimed at ensuring domestic producers are not incentivised to move production to other countries in response to emissions reduction policies. These mechanisms apply a levy on imported goods that is broadly equivalent to the increased costs of production faced by domestic producers as a result of climate policies. The EU is progressing a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and other nations around the world, including Australia, are currently considering options such as this to support their industries in the global transition to net zero. The EU CBAM does not currently cover the import of agricultural products and is expected to have a negligible impact on Australia’s agricultural exports.[8]

National

Australia has an economy-wide target of 43 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and net zero by 2050 (Climate Change Act 2022).[9]

The plans will consider ways to reduce emissions in each sector and opportunities for collective action that support decarbonisation. This information will provide industry, governments and the community with certainty to invest in Australia’s low emissions future.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) undertook public consultation on the agriculture and land plan in late 2023, and is using feedback from the consultation to develop the plan.

The Australian Government has announced funding of $63.8 million over ten years to implement the agriculture and land plan. The key measures as part of this package include:

• $4.4 million for DAFF to become a formal partner in the Zero Net Emissions Agriculture Cooperative Research Centre (ZNE-Ag CRC)
• $30.8 million to accelerate on-ground action, including train‑the‑trainer sessions for advisers, resources for First Nations peoples, information on nature positive and climate-smart farms, and grants for Rural Research and Development Corporations to deliver information, resources and extension activities
• $28.7 million to improve greenhouse gas accounting in the agriculture and land sector at both the farm level, through the development of voluntary emissions reporting standards for the sector, and at the national inventory level.

Emissions reduction and resilience initiatives

The Australian Government has many policies and programs related to emissions reduction and resilience for the agriculture sector, including:

• investment in Rural Research and Development Corporations[11]
• delivering the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program[12] under the Natural Heritage Trust, including grants for projects at various scales, establishing the Tasmanian Regional Soils Coordinator to help build and connect research and extension capacity for soil health, and funding regional Sustainable Agriculture Facilitators in each formally recognised NRM
• Support Plantation Establishment Grant Program[13]
• Methane Emissions Reduction in Livestock (MERiL) program[14]
• Carbon Farming Outreach Program[15]
• The National Fisheries Action Plan[16] includes sustainability and adaptation among its nine priority areas, and commits to a range of initiatives under each area
• a mandate for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to drive decarbonisation across Australia through investment in natural capital[17]
• funding for the National Farmers Federation to develop an Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework[18]
• delivering the Climate Services for Agriculture[19] program through the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO under the Future Drought Fund
• The Supporting Australia’s Seaweed Program supports research and development and accelerate the development of a sustainable aquaculture industry, with a focus on Asparagopsis
• National Landcare Program[20]
• National Soil Strategy, National Soil Action Plan 2023-28,[21] and the National Soil Carbon Innovation Challenge[22]

The Australian Government also provides funding for Tasmania, and other states and territories, for relevant initiatives.  The Future Drought Fund[23] has provided funding for the delivery of a range of programs in Tasmania, including:

• the establishment of the Tas Farm Innovation Hub,[24] in partnership with TIA
• the Farm Business Resilience Program and Regional Drought Resilience Program
• the establishment of Tasmanian Regional Soils Coordinator, one of eight roles across the country to consider local gaps to achieving the ambitions of the National Soil Strategy.  The Soils Coordinator has delivered a Tasmanian gap analysis and has identified changes needed to improve the capabilities and support that are required to translate to improved outcomes for soil for landholders, management of carbon is directly linked to soils health.
• the Farming Forecaster project, delivered by NRM South, NRM North and TIA
• the Soils Extension project, which aims to build on-ground knowledge and capability through decision-support tools and field days to promote long-term landscape and soils health.

Through the National Soil Action Plan 2023-28,[25] over $2 million has been provided to NRE Tas for the Tasmanian High Soil Carbon Landscapes – Improving Soil, Climate, Ecosystem and Traditional Knowledge project to deliver a range of products and tools to inform climate change calculations and inform priority areas for consideration and future studies.

Tasmanian Government

Tasmania has

• an economy-wide target of net zero emissions, or lower, from 2030 (Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008)[26]
• a target to grow the annual farm gate value of agriculture in Tasmania to $10 billion by 2050 (AgriVision 2050)[27]

Research, information and knowledge

• Partnering in the Zero Net Emissions Agriculture Cooperative Research Centre,[28] coordinating action in industry, government and research institutions to achieve net zero emissions from agriculture by 2040, and below net zero by 2050.
• Providing $5 million per annum in base funding to TIA to deliver research, industry development and education for the agri-food industry of Tasmania, including in relation to emissions reduction, sequestration and adaptation.
• Preparing Tasmania’s first statewide climate change risk assessment, that will identify and prioritise a range of climate-related risks and opportunities to support governments, businesses and industries across the state to make informed decisions.
• Updating Tasmania’s fine-scale climate projections to provide the most up-to-date future climate information to Tasmanians and play an important role in the development of climate change adaptation initiative.
• Partnering with IMAS, through the Sustainable Marine Research Collaboration Agreement, including to better understand the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, industries and cultural practices, and develop options for adaptation. Core funding is set at $2.6 million per year, and the government has recently committed to an additional $2 million over four years.
• Providing funding to the Centre for Marine Socioecology at UTAS to support the Range Extension Database and Mapping Project (Redmap) for another decade to track marine species redistributions under a changing climate.
• Delivering the Water Catchment Yield Science Update[29] to update Tasmania’s hydrological models to inform water management.
• Updating Tasmania’s existing enterprise suitability maps to incorporate the latest climate projections and extend the maps out to the year 2100.

Emissions reduction

• In addition to the $4 million Low Emissions Livestock Grant Program, over $1.5 million has been provided to the aquaculture industry to support the commercialisation of Asparagopsis-based feed supplements.
• The $250,000 Carbon Farming Advice Rebate Pilot Program[30] provides primary producers with rebates of up to $10,000 to offset the cost of obtaining expert advice on carbon farming projects tailored to their enterprise.
• The government is supporting the adoption of precision agriculture through the Strategic Industry Partnership Program, including a project led by the Tasmanian Agricultural Productivity Group to develop and test a grower-led ag tech adoption framework in Tasmania.
• The Tasmanian Salmon Industry Plan 2023[31] includes a focus on emissions reduction and adaptation for the sector, and is being implemented by NRE Tas, including working with the Blue Economy CRC and industry representatives to decarbonise the sector.
• The government has provided funding for a range of industry-led projects to support the sector to reduce emissions. Initiatives include a collaborative project with Dairy Tas[32] to increase the environmental sustainability and resilience of the dairy sector, and supporting Wine Tasmania to deliver the VinØ sustainability program for its members.
• Through the Pasture Pathways Small Project Fund,[33] the government has funded Farmers for Climate Action to promote climate-smart strategies for managing perennial pastures, improving soil carbon and reducing agricultural emissions.
• The Agrigrowth Loan Scheme[34] provides low-interest loans to farms and agri-food businesses to support projects that advance the AgriVision 2050 target.
• The Landcare Action Grants Program,[35] delivered in partnership with TasFarmers and Landcare Tasmania, provides grants for practical on-ground works for sustainable agriculture and rivercare activities, including carbon farming initiatives.  The government has recently committed a further $900,000 to expand the program and assist landholders to enter carbon credit markets.
• The government has provided $600,000 for Private Forests Tasmania to deliver the Stems for CO2 Grant Program,[36] which will support three Tasmanian farmers with upfront costs to establish and integrate 249 hectares of trees across their agricultural enterprise to reduce emissions, improve productivity and support research into the sequestration benefits.
• With support from the TAS Farm Innovation Hub, Private Forests Tasmania has established the Tree Alliance Knowledge Hub[37] to provide landowners with information about the benefits of integrating trees into their operations, and tools and resources to help simplify the planning process.
• From 2018-19 to 2020-21 the government delivered the On-Farm Energy Audit and Capital Grant Program.
• The government supported DairyTas to deliver the Fert$mart program from 2014 to 2018, working with Tasmanian dairy farmers to reduce fertiliser-related emissions and costs.

Transition, adaptation and resilience initiatives

• Partnering with the Australian Government, through the Future Drought Fund, to deliver:
  • Regional Drought Resilience Program,[38] supporting regional project coordinators in each region of Tasmanian to engage and partner with stakeholders and communities to develop regional drought resilience plans. Plans will aim to help Tasmanian communities be better prepared for and resilient to the impacts of drought and climate variability events. Once finalised, plans will be used to guide future drought funding across Tasmania
  • Farm Business Resilience Program,[39] subsidising learning and development opportunities for farmers, farm managers and employees with a focus on improving strategic farm management capabilities.
• Funding to support drought affected communities on King Island and across Tasmania, including collaboration with the TAS Farm Innovation Hub, TasFarmers, Rural Alive and Well (RAW) and Rural Business Tasmania (RBT).
• Working with TasFarmers and landholders to develop a compensation framework for farmers impacted by renewable energy projects.
• Increasing investment in the Strategic Industry Partnership Program to provide targeted grants to agricultural organisations, promote collaboration and capacity building, and investing in a range of programs to develop Tasmania’s agricultural workforce.
• Developing a Marine Heatwave Response Plan to guide government, community and industry action to reduce the impact of marine heatwaves on plants, animals and the environment.
• Developing and updating harvest strategies to allow commercial and recreational fisheries to adjust regulations in real time to adapt to changes in the environment.
• Supporting research and programs to reduce the impacts of range-extended urchins on Tasmania’s marine ecosystems caused by warming waters on Tasmania’s east coast.
• The Rural Water Use Strategy[40] aims to ensure Tasmania has a modern water management framework to meet the needs of our rural water users, rural communities, water-dependant industries, and the environment, and that water management is sustainable in the face of a changing climate.
• Significant investment in irrigation, in partnership with the Australian Government, to improve water security and enable farm enterprises to adapt to changing rainfall patterns.
• Establishing a new online portal to make it easier for farmers and rural landowners to obtain permits to undertake fuel-reduction burns.
• The government’s biosecurity import risk analysis process takes into account potential changes in pest, weed and disease distribution due to climate change. Tasmania’s fruit fly strategy[41] considers the impacts of climate change on maintaining Tasmania’s freedom from fruit fly. In the lead up to the 2024 state election, the government committed an additional $5 million to improve Tasmania’s biosecurity.
• Through the Agricultural Innovation Fund and Agricultural Development Fund,[42] the government has provided the following funding for agriculture research, development and extension to build resilience to the impacts of climate change, including:
  • research that will help farmers to understand what influences irrigation efficiency and to adopt practices that minimise environmental impacts
  • investigation of options for use of smoke-effected wine grapes in sparkling wine
  • development of a decision-support tool for the potato industry to predict and control disease more effectively, to increase productivity and profitability, decrease food waste and pesticide use, and model the impact of climate change
  • technology to allow farmers to monitor the microbial communities in soils to assist with better soil management to improve soil health, including carbon sequestration
  • improving business decisions about botrytis management in vineyards, for reliable and climate-responsive wine grape production.

Tasmanian Government businesses

• Tasmanian Irrigation owns, operates, designs and develops irrigation schemes to deliver high‑surety irrigation water to Tasmanian landowners. Tasmanian Irrigation is committed to providing 95 per cent water reliability of water to supply to farmers – a level unachievable anywhere else in Australia. It is also committed to ensuring that all irrigation schemes are environmentally sustainable and exceed the requirements of local, state and national regulations.
• Hydro Tasmania has a target to achieve net zero reportable scope one and two emissions by 2025.
• TasWater has targets to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, produce 30 per cent of its energy demand onsite from renewable sources, and contribute to healthy waterways.
• TasNetworks has developed a Farmers Hub[43] to provide a “one-stop shop” to assist the farming community with their energy-related questions, for example around pricing, irrigation connections, biosecurity controls and demand management.

Local and regional initiatives

Local government and regional bodies such as natural resource management (NRM) organisations play a critical role in helping producers reduce emissions and respond to climate change. NRMs ensure that Tasmania’s natural resources are managed sustainably across the state to increase the health of our land and waters. Management includes development and delivery of a range of programs that work with communities, farmers and landholders. The programs help farmers improve soil health, address weeds and other pests, and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Tasmania has three legislated NRMs – NRM North, NRM South and NRM Cradle Coast. Additionally, the Tamar NRM is a community-based organisation delivering NRM services throughout Launceston, West Tamar and George Town.

Tasmania’s three regional NRMs work together towards a single vision for natural resource management in Tasmania: Collaborative action for healthy landscapes and seascapes, protected natural values and sustainable livelihoods and lifestyles.

Each NRM has its own strategy for achieving this vision, with shared aims to create a balanced approach to build, support and maintain:

• healthy, resilient and biodiverse environments
• healthy and productive water and marine resources
• productive and sustainable land management.

Each NRM identifies how to advance these priorities in their regional context and has a range of programs underway.

NRMs are also delivery partners for several Australian Government initiatives, including the Climate-Smart Agriculture program. Tasmania’s three formally recognised NRMs are currently developing relevant local projects to be delivered under the program through to 2028. As part of the program, Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator roles have been funded in each NRM. The role of the facilitators is to connect farmers, landholders, community groups and agriculture industries to relevant information and programs on climate-smart, sustainable agriculture practices; facilitate partnerships and connections; and support the delivery of sustainable agriculture projects in their region.

NRM South, NRM North and TIA have partnered to deliver the Farming Forecaster Project, with support from the Future Drought Fund. Farming Forecaster has established 46 sites across Tasmania’s most drought-prone regions to help graziers ensure that ground cover is maintained during drought or other climate extremes, this preservation of ground cover has significant long-term carbon benefits ensuring healthy soils and reducing the likelihood of erosion.

NRM South has also been working with farmers who have estuaries and saltmarshes on their properties to optimise their environmental management of these resources, including consideration of blue carbon sequestration.

Business and industry

The agriculture sector is well-advanced in its efforts to reduce emissions and build resilience. Many industry bodies have made ambitious commitments, outlined below.

Businesses are also introducing emissions reduction targets and other environmental sustainability goals. Buyers of Tasmanian produce are likely to rely on producers to meet their commitments into the future, particularly as businesses begin to set targets to address their supply chain (scope 3) emissions.

For example, Coles Supermarkets has a target to deliver net zero emissions by 2050 and Woolworths Supermarkets has a target to reduce scope 1 and 3 emissions by 63 per cent by 2030.

Wine Tasmania’s VinØ (“vin zero”) Program,[44] supported by the Tasmanian Government, has been developed to measure, improve and report on the management practices of Tasmanian wine producers across the island.

In 2023, 42 per cent of Tasmania's vineyard area was managed under the program, which has 30 vineyard and winery members. In 2024, based on feedback from wine businesses and with support from the Tasmanian Government, Wine Tasmania launched the Carbon Action Program to help wine businesses measure, reduce and communicate emissions reduction activities using the ERC Protocol.

Focus areas of the VinØ program include:

• the health of soils on which the industry relies for high-quality wine grapes
• managing pests and diseases in an environmentally responsible manner
• biodiversity and using natural flora and fauna to support land and vineyard health
• measuring and minimising water use in vineyards
• responsibly managing waste and recycling
• looking after vineyard personnel and the broader community
• understanding the role that members play in biosecurity, with respect to the longevity of the sector
• managing aspects in the winery to ensure efficiency, quality and responsibility
• measuring, managing, reducing and mitigating carbon emissions through the VinØ Carbon Action Program.

Other Australian jurisdictions

Actions to reduce emissions and build resilience in the agriculture sector vary between jurisdictions and depend on the unique challenges and opportunities facing each region. A number of jurisdictions have now developed agriculture sector emissions reduction and adaptation strategies.  For example:

• through the Agriculture Sector Emissions Reduction Pledge 2021‑25,[45] the Victorian Government is delivering the On-Farm Emissions Action Plan Pilot[46] and the On-Farm Emissions Community of Practice[47] The Victorian Government has also developed the Primary Production Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2022-26.[48]
• Queensland has developed a Low Emissions Agriculture Roadmap 2022-32[49] and Agriculture Sector Adaptation Plan,[50] including the Drought and Climate Adaptation Program.[51]

Collaboration

The Zero Net Emissions Agricultural Cooperative Research Centre (ZNE-Ag CRC) is Australia’s largest CRC to date, involving over 70 partners. Partners include major industry groups, governments (including Tasmania), 10 universities (including TIA), three Indigenous organisations and many small- to medium-sized businesses and grower groups.

The CRC includes four work programs:

1. Low emissions plant solutions
2. Towards methane-free cattle and sheep
3. Whole-farm mixed enterprise systems analysis
4. Delivering value from net zero

There are many mechanisms in place to support collaborative, coordinated action on climate change in the agriculture sector at national, state and regional levels:

• TIA was established through a Joint Venture Agreement between the Tasmanian Government and the University of Tasmania. For more than two decades, the government has supported world-class agricultural research, development, extension and education through TIA that is delivering practical, on-farm benefits to our state’s agri-food producers.
• The Tasmanian Government partners with IMAS through the Sustainable Marine Research Collaboration Agreement. Aims of the partnership include undertaking leading, world-class research, supporting effective and sustainable management of Tasmanian marine resources, and building capacity in marine research. Core funding is set at $2.6 million per year, and the government has recently committed to an additional $2 million over four years.
• The TAS Farm Innovation Hub aims to increase collaborations across organisations working in research, development, adoption, extension and commercialisation as part of building drought and climate preparedness, and brings together over 30 partners and collaborators.
• The Tasmanian Agricultural Productivity Group brings together primary producers, the food and non-food agricultural manufacturing sector, plantation forestry, agribusiness, and government to address issues in the agriculture sector.
• NRE Tas facilitates the Tasmanian Seaweed Working Group.
• Tasmania’s three regional NRMs work together towards a single vision for natural resource management in Tasmania. The government has committed to providing additional funding of $2.4 million to Tasmania’s three NRM regions over 2024-26.
• Through Agriculture Ministers Meetings and Energy and Climate Change Ministers Meetings, the agriculture and climate change ministers from all Australian jurisdictions are progressing a collaborative nationwide agenda to reduce emissions and build resilience in the agriculture sector.
• An interjurisdictional Climate Change Task Group is responsible for progressing national action on climate change in the agriculture sector, and reports to agriculture ministers.
• The 2023 National Statement on Climate Change and Agriculture[52] is a commitment by all agriculture ministers to provide leadership and work together with Australia’s agriculture sector to reduce emissions and build resilience.
• Agriculture Ministers have also agreed to develop a First Nations Statement on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries by early 2025, to drive greater economic inclusion for First Nations Australians in these industries.
• The Blue Economy CRC[53] brings together 45 industry, governmental (including Tasmania) and research partners from ten countries with expertise in aquaculture, marine renewable energy, maritime engineering, environmental assessments and policy and regulation.
• The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) Tasmania Research Advisory Committee[54] is an expertise-based committee responsible for facilitating the identification and delivery of efficient and effective research for Tasmanian fisheries.

Further opportunities to increase coordination and collaboration both within the agriculture sector, and with other sectors, will be a focus of the Plan.

[1] www.globalmethanepledge.org/

[2] minister.agriculture.gov.au/Watt/media-releases/glasgow-breakthrough-agenda-on-agriculture

[3] www.aimforclimate.org/

[4] minister.agriculture.gov.au/watt/media-releases/forests-and-climate-leaders-partnership

[5] globalresearchalliance.org/

[6] https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20240625_20240626_40

[7] food.ec.europa.eu/horizontal-topics/farm-fork-strategy_en

[8] Deloitte Access Economics for AgriFutures Australia (2023), Carbon border adjustment mechanisms: Implications for Australian agriculture, agrifutures.com.au/product/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanisms-implications-for-australian-agriculture/

[9] www.legislation.gov.au/C2022A00037/latest/text

[10] www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction/net-zero

[11] www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/innovation/research_and_development_corporations_and_companies

[12] www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/natural-resources/landcare/climate-smart

[13] www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/forestry/industries/support-plantation-establishment-program

[14] www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction/agricultural-land-sectors/livestock

[15] www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction/agricultural-land-sectors/carbon-farming-outreach-program

[16] www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-fisheries-plan.pdf

[17] www.cefc.com.au/where-we-invest/decarbonisation/natural-capital/

[18] www.farminstitute.org.au/the-australian-agricultural-sustainability-framework/

[19] www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/drought/future-drought-fund/climate-services

[20] www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/landcare

[21] www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/natural-resources/soils/national-soil-action-plan

[22] www.dcceew.gov.au/about/news/nscic-round-2-grant-guidelines-available

[23] www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/drought/future-drought-fund/climate-services

[24] www.tasfarmhub.com.au/

[25] www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/natural-resources/soils/national-soil-action-plan

[26] www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2008-036

[27] nre.tas.gov.au/agriculture/agrivision-2050-tasmania-government-policies

[28] zneagcrc.com.au/

[29] nre.tas.gov.au/water/water-legislation-policies-and-strategies/rural-water-use-strategy/activites-underway/catchment-yield-science-update

[30] nre.tas.gov.au/agriculture/government-and-community-programs/carbon-farming-opportunities/carbon-farming-advice-rebate-pilot-program

[31] nre.tas.gov.au/aquaculture/industry-strategy-and-innovation/tasmanian-salmon-industry-plan

[32] www.premier.tas.gov.au/site_resources_2015/additional_releases/funding-to-enhance-dairy-sustainability

[33] nre.tas.gov.au/agriculture/multifaceted-agriculture/pastures-and-livestock-productivity-project

[34] www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/grants_and_funding_opportunities/loans/agrigrowth

[35] nre.tas.gov.au/conservation/natural-resource-management

[36] treealliance.com.au/news/450-000-farm-forestry-grant-recipients-revealed

[37] treealliance.com.au/

[38] droughtready.tas.gov.au/droughtplanning

[39] nre.tas.gov.au/agriculture/farm-business-resilience-program-(tasmania)

[40] nre.tas.gov.au/water/water-legislation-policies-and-strategies/rural-water-use-strategy

[41] nre.tas.gov.au/Documents/Fruit%20Fly%20Strategy_2022.pdf

[42] nre.tas.gov.au/agriculture/research-and-innovation/growing-tasmanian-agriculture-research-development-and-extension-for-2050/funding-for-rd-e-projects

[43] talkwith.tasnetworks.com.au/farmers-hub?tool=qanda

[44] winetasmania.com.au/vinzerolookingaftertheland

[45] www.climatechange.vic.gov.au/victorian-government-action-on-climate-change/Agriculture-sector-pledge-accessible.pdf

[46] agriculture.vic.gov.au/climate-and-weather/policy-programs-action/on-farm-action-plan-pilot-program

[47] agriculture.vic.gov.au/climate-and-weather/policy-programs-action/community-of-practice-on-farm-emissions

[48] agriculture.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/838246/Primary-Production-Climate-Change-Adaptation-Action-Plan-2022-2026.pdf

[49] www.publications.qld.gov.au/ckan-publications-attachments-prod/resources/d60e9ba9-ff5c-4897-891e-2d6fe8b1d81a/queensland-low-emissions-agriculture-roadmap-20222032.pdf?ETag=2bcaba4faa01322a3ffe95d57bb5c535

[50] www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/67626/agricultural-sector-adaption-plan.pdf

[51] www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/dcap/

[52] www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-statement-on-climate-change-agriculture.pdf

[53] blueeconomycrc.com.au/

[54] Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) Tasmania Research Advisory Committee