With a primary focus for farmers being on reducing their carbon footprint, Professor Richard Eckard believes a broader lens needs to be applied — focus on carbon but prepare for the future, and the future is biodiversity.
Prof Eckard is a keynote speaker at the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium in November at Camden, NSW.
With big changes coming to the dairy industry, his advice could mean the difference between a thriving dairy business and one that struggles to keep up with rapid change.
“I’d like to help dispel some myths,” Prof Eckard said.
“The biggest problem in the dairy industry is misinformation from self-interested salespeople who are trying to sell farmers carbon projects. There are some aggressive sales techniques going on with these ‘carbon cowboys’,” he said.
“But let’s not have a myopic focus on carbon, the next big ticket is biodiversity and we’ve got to be certain not to make choices on carbon that lock us out of biodiversity in the future.
“If you sell your carbon credits then someone else owns your biodiversity as well.”
A regular speaker at agricultural events in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the Netherlands, Prof Eckard helps to prepare farmers for the future of farming and sustainability and is acutely familiar with the concerns facing Australian dairy farmers.
As the director of Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre at the University of Melbourne, Prof Eckard also chairs the boards for International Technical Advisory Committee to the Low Nitrogen Systems Program and International Review Committee to the New Zealand Centre for Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.
He will provide Dairy Research Foundation Symposium attendees with a guide on how to select responsible aggregators — those who are interested in the long-term health of dairy farmers, their farms and for long-term sustainability.
“You’ll want to consult someone independent like Aaron Simmons [also a speaker at the symposium] who understands the changing landscape in the industry and is aware of the bigger picture,” Prof Eckard said.
He will also advise on upcoming carbon requirements, where the drive for reduction is coming from (hint: it’s in the supply chain) and simple accounting methods farmers can implement now to save years of backlog in the future.
“Let’s not lose sight of where the Australian dairy industry sits — we are in a global supply chain, we need to be aware of global requirements moving forward.
“There’s a few simple steps farmers can take, but they’re not all cost-effective. I’ll give you a guide as to how to select the best path forward for your farm and what data you need to start keeping to demonstrate your progress.”
His number one piece of advice is “keep your carbon and table it towards your supply chain”.
For more information about the symposium, go to: https://www.drfsymposium.com.au/