Emission reduction agriculture extension officers plan put forward by Helen Haines

The Indi MP has put forward a plan to give farmers on-the-ground technical support to help them access carbon markets, adopt new low-emissions technologies and retain access to export markets.

Dr Haines said the network of 200 officers, based in regional hubs across the country, would be reminiscent of the old agronomy extension officers, who helped to roll out practices such as stubble retention, mixed cropping, and pest management.

"Australian farmers are facing a new wave of technological change - electric and hydrogen- based farm vehicles, soil-carbon sequestration, new feed supplements, all sorts of things," Dr Haines said.

"Australian farmers want to take advantage of a new wave of technological change, transforming their businesses and reducing their emissions. My plan is about giving farmers the tools they need to succeed, to grow their businesses and reduce emissions at the same time."

READ MORE:

Dr Haines said the government had signed up Australia to a net zero emissions target, but has failed to outline the pathway for agriculture to get there.

"We can't just tell farmers they need to change their ways, we need to actually invest in farmers to make sure they can get the most out of a net zero emission economy," she said.

Under the $32-million plan, extension officers would work one-on-one with farmers to estimate their emissions, and help to either reduce on-farm emissions, or earn carbon credits to offset emissions. Farmers could also choose to become certified as net zero emissions farms, which would protect their access to critical export markets.

"There's a very real risk that Australian farmers will end up paying the price of the Government's inaction," Dr Haines said.

"Right now, countries around the world are drawing up plans to slap tariffs on Australian agricultural imports because our Government has not done enough to tackle climate change."

National Farmers' Federation president Fiona Simson said the proposal aligned closely with NFF's policies and provided a "very practical and common sense solution" to support farmers.

"There is so much research and development around carbon, it can be hard to translate the myriad of information that's coming out in this complex environment," Ms Simson said.

"First-hand expertise would be very helpful, allowing farmers to translate that knowledge into practical solutions on their farm."

Dr Haines said if each extension officer worked with 20 farmers per year, then over the four-year life of the program it would support up to 16,000 farmers, directly supporting one-in-five Australian farms.

The policy is fully costed by the Parliamentary Budget Office at $32 million a year.

Start the day with all the big news in agriculture! Sign up below to receive our daily FarmOnline newsletter.