02/09/2005 - Celebrating
the start of Landcare Week (September 1-7),
the Minister for the Environment and Heritage,
Senator Ian Campbell, today praised Landcare
farmers for their efforts to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions with the launch of a new report.
Senator Campbell said the report, Landcare
Australia: Meeting the Greenhouse Challenge,
highlighted the work of Landcare farmers as
a leading participant in the Greenhouse Challenge
Plus Programme, a key part of the Government’s
Climate Change Strategy.
“Since 2001, Landcare Australia has been
working with the Australian Government to
help Landcare farmers to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions, while improving both productivity
and profitability,” Senator Campbell said.
The report features Landcare land managers
from a variety of farming practices and locations,
who targeted six areas in which to reduce
emissions: livestock management; nitrogen
fertilizer management; soil management; water
management; energy consumption; and vegetation
management.
“Landcare farmers are doing some great things
in new management practices, such as ensuring
more accurate and timely application of fertilizers,
improving pasture quality for livestock, planting
areas of permanent vegetation, reducing tillage,
stubble retention and mulching, and using
solar-powered systems to pump water to stock,”
Senator Campbell said.
“Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture
represent a significant proportion (18%) of
Australia’s total emissions and also indicate
the loss of valuable resources from farming
systems.
“The Greenhouse Challenge Plus programme
has provided a way for Landcare and the Australian
Government to work together to reduce greenhouse
impacts by limiting the escape of these resources,
instead channeling them into production.
“Landcare farmers have shown that reducing
greenhouse gas emissions on farms can produce
multiple benefits.
“This report will be of value to other land
managers who want to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from their properties for improved
production, environmental and productivity
outcomes.
“The challenge for land managers today is
to yield more produce but with fewer impacts
on the environment. This encouraging report
is an example of what can be done at a practical
level,” Senator Campbell said.
Find ‘Landcare Australia: Meeting the Greenhouse
Challenge’ at www.greenhouse.gov.au/agriculture.
