The peak grassfed cattle producer group Cattle Australia is pushing for the red meat industry's goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 to be replaced with a climate neutral target.
Climate neutrality is the point where the industry would no longer have a negative impact on the planet's temperature, as opposed to the chase for zero net emissions across the industry's production and processing sectors.
The industry is on track to be climate neutral within a few years.
The CN30 goal is under a little more doubt, although MLA has expressed confidence it can be achieved.
CA has called for a review of CN30.
It says it has modernised its own emissions focus to concentrate on the bottom-line warming impact of the industry.
The climate neutral concept takes into account the fact methane emissions from livestock are part of a neutral cycle, which is very different to other greenhouse gas emissions.
Methane has a shorter lifespan and breaks down into carbon dioxide which, in a beef production system, is captured in pasture as part of what is known as the biogenic cycle.
CA chair David Foote said it made sense to focus on eliminating industry's warming impact rather than a simplified carbon dioxide equivalent.
"International efforts are focussed on limiting warming - we should be doing the same," he said.
"Now is an appropriate point to review CN30 and re-evaluate whether it is the right goal for the Australian beef industry based on the most current scientific research.
"We are constantly learning about how our emissions interact in the atmosphere, and we should not wed ourselves to how we understood the issue a decade ago."
One of the original architects of CN30 was Richard Norton, who was managing director of MLA at the time the goal was announced six years ago.
Mr Norton, now chief executive officer of Food Agility, said whether the goal is climate neutral or carbon neutral, the message is still the same: that the red meat industry shares the same values as the people who consume its product.
He said when CN30 was announced, the understanding was that science would continue to evolve and how carbon and methane was measured was going to change.
"That's what has happened and a mature industry would certainly have this debate now over what precise goal title it is working towards," he said.
"However, I do think it possibly would have been better to have those negotiations internally and then the announcement of a final united position be made from CA and MLA on it.
"It's an industry issue. The consumer doesn't really care if it's climate or carbon neutral."
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
