The Albanese government’s target range of 62-70 per cent carbon pollution reduction by 2035 has been met with a mixed reaction from farming groups.
National Farmers Federation (NFF) Interim Chief Executive Su McCluskey said climate action is vital, and agriculture is already actively contributing.
“It’s encouraging to see our nation collectively striving for solutions with this 62-70% range target,” Ms McCluskey said.
“While the NFF supports an economy wide aspiration of net zero by 2050, it cannot be net zero for agriculture.”
“If we don’t get climate policy right, farming will only get harder. Quite simply, we cannot compromise our food and fibre security.”
NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin is more cautious, saying farmers must not shoulder the burden of meeting the Federal Government’s new emissions target for 2035.
Mr Martin said farmers have still never been compensated for the billions of dollars in emissions reduction activities they undertook to meet the nation’s Kyoto Protocol commitments.
“Before government does anything else on emissions, they need to pay their debts and recognise agriculture’s unique capacity to sequester carbon, not steal it,” Mr Martin said.
“The fact is, we’re well and truly paying for everyone’s carbon sins.”
“Farmers are apprehensive about what this target could mean for them now, after they have already made, and continue to make, huge contributions to carbon sequestration, with the crops they plant and landscapes they look after sequestering millions of tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere.
Engaging properly with the agricultural industry on sustainability was essential, Mr Martin warned, with farmers and food security already under the pump thanks to renewables and reams of green tape that had been imposed on agriculture.
“Not only have billions in carbon credits been stolen from us, but our farm communities are bearing the brunt of the impacts in the race to renewable power.
“Farmers have been blamed unfairly and left to foot the carbon bill for too long. That must stop, so we must speak up.”
Farmers for Climate Action (FCA) have come out in full support of the target range.
“If we are to protect our farmers and our food supply from worsening fires, floods, and droughts, we need to reduce pollution every year,” Ms Collard said.
“Australia has already managed to reduce carbon pollution by around 28 per cent on 2005 levels, largely through farmers clearing less land.”
“Farmers are responsible for much of the emissions reduction we’ve already seen in Australia, but coal and gas have not done their bit. Farmers reduced land clearing substantially to reduce emissions, and now it’s time for coal and gas to slash their emissions, which are hurting our farmers.”
“We all know coal and gas are the problem, producing around 250 million of Australia’s 420-odd million tonnes of emissions a year. Coal-fired power station owners must be allowed to close coal-fired power stations down on the schedules they’ve told us they will.”