The ever-increasing push for large corporates to demonstrate their sustainability credentials has led to some major initiatives which could have benefits for South Australian producers.

The Cool Soil Initiative is one such example, with Food Agility CRC Carbon and Natural Capital Lead Dr Madeline Mitchell to provide insights into this project and others at GROWING SA 2022 next month.

Food Agility CRC is working in partnership with Charles Sturt University, the Sustainable Food Lab and companies such as Mars Petcare, Kellogg’s, Manildra Group and Allied Pinnacle on the Cool Soil Initiative to improve understanding of the types of management practices which may be able to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions on-farm, without compromising productivity or profitability.

“While Mars and Kellogg’s continue to work on reducing their factory GHG emissions, they have identified that more than 50 per cent of their emissions happen upstream from their manufacturing sites, from production and processing as well as transport of materials used in their products,” Dr Mitchell says.

“The Cool Soil Initiative is a credible way for corporates to report on how they are investing in emissions reduction in the supply chain, not just at a manufacturing level.

“Improving soil health is one of the production issues which farmers say will impact their farm over the next five years. Through Cool Soil, we are working with farmers to identify opportunities to reduce inputs and emissions and increase productivity while also ensuring long-term soil health.

“One of the positive impacts we envisage in this project is to empower farmers through provision of GHG emission, soil health and spatial data that can inform farm practice adjustments that balance emissions and productivity.”

Dr Mitchell will also provide insights on Rangelands Carbon, another Food Agility CRC project in collaboration with Australian Agriculture Company (AACo), which aims to provide an accurate and affordable way to estimate carbon in Australian Rangelands landscapes to inform decisions supporting holistic land management and participation in the carbon market.

Find out more and register for GROWING SA 2022 at growingsa.com.au/program

 

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For media interviews contact Alistair Lawson, AgCommunicators, 0448 400 606

Dr Madeline Mitchell

Madeline is a plant scientist with broad interests in the social, economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture. At Food Agility CRC, she leads a research theme focused on measuring, managing and valuing natural capital in agriculture for productive, profitable and climate resilient farm systems.

In previous roles at CSIRO and Cambridge University, she worked to develop novel food, fuel and fibre crops for the benefit of farmers, consumers and the environment. Madeline is also a researcher at RMIT University and on the Riverine Plains farming system group’s Research Advisory Council.