The Australian dairy industry does not support the Australian Government signing the global methane pledge at this time, says Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) president, Rick Gladigau.
“Any move by Australia to sign the methane pledge is ill-timed and ill-informed,” says Mr Gladigau. “Signing the pledge does not consider viable pathways for methane mitigation. These are yet to be established.
“The Australian dairy industry is not afraid of national targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions and it has already made its own commitments, underpinned by significant investment and research. Under the industry’s sustainability framework, dairy has a target to reduce emissions intensity by 30% by 2030 from a 2015 baseline.
“Any future policy for mitigating methane emissions should appropriately recognise and support our efforts in the dairy sector and consider modelling that explores viable pathways for methane mitigation.”
Mr Gladigau says ADF supports an economy-wide target of net zero emissions by 2050 with conditions. “One of these conditions is that Australian and state governments must adequately fund emissions reduction programs and research to enable farmers to utilise new methodologies and technologies to lower greenhouse gas emissions across their business while also increasing farm productivity,” he says.
Mr Gladigau says the Australian dairy industry has been working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for decades. Over this period investment and research has been conducted into better genetic selection, optimisation of reproduction and lactation, balancing energy in the diet of cows and uptake of solar and more efficient energy solutions. This has led to absolute emissions decreasing by 27% since 2010 in the dairy processing sector and methane intensity of Australian milk production declining by 40% between 1980 and 2016.
“Other measures, particularly the use of feed additives to reduce enteric methane from livestock, are still in development, with trials and tests underway around the world to establish both the actual methane reduction potential, as well as the delivery mechanism for the cows in pasture-based dairy farming systems,” says Mr Gladigau.
“All the technologies being used by dairy are promising but they will have limitations on their ability to reduce methane emissions from cows in dairy production systems. In addition, implementing these interventions will take time, focus and, most importantly, investment that must be considered in any future policy setting.”
The global methane pledge was announced at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow in 2021. It is a voluntary target that seeks to decrease methane emissions by 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels.
Mr Gladigau describes the methane tax imposed on the livestock industry by the New Zealand Government to achieve the 30% methane cut as “a blunt and lazy instrument that reduces innovation and increases the cost of food”.
“Although the Australian Government has publicly stated it will not follow this route, such a guarantee needs to be enshrined in legislation or in an election mandate which it currently does not have,” says Mr Gladigau.
About Australian Dairy Farmers
Australian Dairy Farmers is the recognised national policy and advocacy organisation working to improve profitability and sustainability of dairy farming in Australia. Representing Australia’s six dairying states, Australian Dairy Farmers state membership comprises representatives from Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. These state bodies are known as State Dairy Farmer Organisation (SDFO). Australian Dairy Farmers provides the SDFOs with support and representation on a national level.
For further information, contact:
Mark Paterson
Currie
Tel: +61 (0) 409 411 110
Email: mark@curriecommunications.com.au