Farmers Call For Practical Sustainability Solutions
Australian farmers are calling for a practical, partnership-based approach to sustainability, ahead of the Federal Election.
The National Farmers’ Federation has compiled a list of tangible changes for consideration by political parties.
“We need to stop the methodology mayhem and reduce red and green tape,” NFF President David Jochinke said.
“The next step in the nation’s sustainability ambitions must be to enable further progress, not rewrite how farming works.
“Farmers manage more than half the country’s landscape and are at the forefront of emissions reduction, biodiversity protection, and land stewardship.
“Farmers need a collaborative approach that puts us at the centre of decision-making, not making us a victim of it.
“In close consultation with our member farming organisations, the NFF proposes a series of practical measures that an incoming Federal Government can adopt to ensure the future of Australia’s farms and healthy landscapes.”
Emissions reporting certainty
The NFF believes agriculture should be exempt from Scope 3 mandatory emissions reporting, like how it is in the United States. Mandatory reporting is expected to lead to more red tape and higher costs. Most farmers will fall into the ‘Scope 3’ reporting category. “Certainty about what this means must be provided now,” Mr Jochinke said. The NFF also has concerns the auditing and compliance community taking advantage of the new regime. “Auditors are seeing this as a growth opportunity, but they must be policed so they aren’t seeking information the law simply does not require. Otherwise, this risks becoming an accountant’s picnic.”
Aligning carbon farming methods
For more than three years, an Integrated Farm and Land Management Methodology (IFLM) has been under development by the Government. The NFF believes the guidelines for measuring on-farm carbon and are taking too long to create, and will be too narrow. Despite ongoing advice from industry, it is only scoped to include regeneration and soil carbon improvements. The NFF recommends prioritising the development of the sidelined Feed Additives Methodology, the Animal Effluent Methodology, and fixing the Beef Herd Management Methodology and include them all in the IFLM.
Energy infrastructure safeguards
The NFF is calling for nationally consistent safeguards for landholders impacted by renewable energy and transmission infrastructure. “Farmers need clear rules, access to independent advice, and appropriate compensation to ensure fair treatment in negotiations. Currently there is information asymmetry, and farmers and rural communities are disadvantaged.”
Environmental Protection regulation
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act needs overhauling. For more than two decades, farmers have been seeking to fix the dual compliance regimes and uncertainty from this complex legislation. “The NFF is asking for the EPBC Act to be fixed in its own right, and with industry. We don’t need a federal Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), which will only create more green tape.”
Stop water buybacks
The NFF is calling for the end to water buybacks. The NFF believes buybacks are a lazy option, costing taxpayers exorbitant amounts of money. “Other opportunities for environmental outcomes are being ignored. Water buybacks must be done with the support of rural communities, rather than forced on them. The best way to get good environmental outcomes is to seriously invest in carp control.”
Put pests in national sights
The NFF is asking for significant investment into the removal of introduced predators. The NFF says $3 billion is needed to make a serious start to remedy biodiversity decline. This money would address the wild cat, deer and carp populations. Free ranging cats alone destroy 2 billion native animals each year.
Buffel grass
Additionally, the NFF is imploring the Federal Government to keep buffel grass off the Weed of National Significance (WoNS) list. “WoNS declarations must be for plants that are not contentious and are nationally significant. Buffel is a critical grazing plant and should instead be declared a Feed of National Significance.”
https://nff.org.au/media-release/farmers-call-for-practical-sustainability-solutions/