General News
10 March, 2025
Farmers offered emissions advice
Tracking and managing carbon emissions on-farm is the subject of two free workshops for Wimmera Mallee producers this month.
Bellarine Peninsula livestock producer and low-emissions farmer and educator Cam Nicholson will lead workshops at Great Western Hall on March 17 and Taylors Lake Hall on March 18.
Wimmera Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is hosting the events, which will cover external factors driving the increased need to track emissions, emissions intensity versus net-zero emissions, and how to lower emissions intensity in the short term.
The workshops will also highlight future innovations to reduce emissions, collecting farm data for accurate emissions accounting, the value to farmers of ‘knowing their number' and how low-emissions farming can benefit farm productivity.
Wimmera CMA sustainable agriculture facilitator Bronwyn Bant said the goal was to help farmers identify opportunities to reduce emissions and benefit farm businesses.
Ms Bant said the organisation was pleased to bring someone with extensive knowledge of farm emissions to Wimmera.
“Cam Nicholson is a trusted and knowledgeable ag communicator, particularly when it comes to emissions on farms,” she said.
“He's a valued information source for farmers, in part due to his practical approach, as well as his own experience as a livestock producer.”
Mr Nicholson and his partner Fiona Conroy are heavily involved in low-emissions farming.
They have participated in multiple carbon-accounting projects on their farms and provided farmer representation to industry bodies such as Meat &Livestock Australia.
“Importantly, Cam and Fiona have demonstrated their farm’s carbon neutrality without compromising productivity or profitability,” Ms Bant said.
Register for either of the free workshops at wcma.vic.gov.au or by emailing Bronwyn.bant@wcma.vic.gov.au or phoning 0427 529 232.
The workshops are being presented by Wimmera CMA in partnership with Agriculture Victoria and Landcare Victoria as part of the Carbon Farming Outreach Program funded by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
This program aims to support farmers and land managers in accessing accurate and independent information about reducing farm emissions, accounting and markets.