Carbon farming is climbing the ranks as a greenhouse emissions reduction measure as more farmers sign up to sell carbon credits through the retaining and improving of vegetation or increasingly through the building of carbon levels in the soil.  

That climb is partly due to the introduction of a new soil carbon methodology in 2021 that enabled farmers to start selling Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) to companies seeking to abate greenhouse gas emissions.  

Buyers are lining up to purchase them and many now have access to insurance policies to provide protection against potential risks to the non-delivery of environmental obligations due to natural disasters, data fraud or incorrect accounting practices.  

Leading environmental insurance specialist, Anthony Saunders, says environmental consultants are also seeking public liability and professional indemnity insurance in the case of a carbon farming project that fails to deliver.  

Anthony has specialised in environmental liability since 2006 following involvement in a fuel station groundwater contamination case at Coramba in the north coast region. He started the EnviroSure® brand under a Lloyd’s Insurance banner and is now principal of Sydney-based brokerage Insurance Choice. 

“It is the most complicated area of insurance. It took me years of research and preparation to develop sustainable insurance options for liabilities associated with environmental risk,” Anthony said.  

Anthony said he has focussed on providing professional indemnity insurance for environmental auditors, engineers and consultants.   

“That includes people providing advice to farmers on carbon farming and the selling of carbon credits. They have an insurance policy to cover their liability in the event of an error that has caused the farmer a financial loss.”  

“Then it goes back over to the farmer. Does the farmer have cover to protect from them from their loss or claim and transfer liability back to the advisor.”  

While Anthony is based in Sydney, he does have a good understanding of agriculture and regional communities through family being involved in farming. He has also supported farmers and the Great Artesian Basin Association with concerns about the environmental risk of CSG mining by confirming that it is a deliberate process that creates a certain environmental externality and is therefore uninsurable. 

Covering risk

Anthony is now extending his environmental risk expertise to farmers after being inspired by learnings through his NSW Farmers membership and stories in The Farmer magazine about environmental liability concerns.  

“My advice is to first talk to your insurance broker or agent about whether a carbon credit contract you are potentially entering into is insurable.” 

“If that broker or agent is unsure, then they should get in contact with an insurance expert in the field to get assessment of the risk for their client.”  

“The farmer does have a potential liability in the event of not being able to provide the carbon credits to the buyer due to a climatic event or accounting mistake.” 

Anthony said farmers should investigate the risks and investment associated with supplying and selling carbon credits before entering into a contract.  

“That includes the examining the worst-case scenario that could never happen such as a natural disaster that prevents carbon being sequestered for a couple of years.”  

“The farmer needs to decide whether they can weather that storm financially, and that should depend on the potential carbon credit income losses. If the losses are significant, the farmer should sit down with an insurance broker to develop a viable insurance policy to cover the risk.” 

“In most cases, the buyer would have insurance to cover the liability of not being able to meet environmental obligations.”  

Anthony does not deal directly with farmers in relation to environmental risk policies but does urge farmers to examine their potential exposure before entering into a carbon credit agreement.  

“You could be mortgaging your life away with hope that the future is going to be paying of all the costs of carbon farming and making profit.” 

To find out more, contact Anthony at EnviroSure – visit envirosure.com.au or call 1300 799 950 and ask for EnviroSure. 

The post Covering your carbon credit risk appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

We are currently constructing a state-of-the-art boarding facility that promises to offer an exceptional environment for students to learn, grow and feel supported.

To experience our vibrant community and see the progress of our new boarding facility, we warmly invite you to visit us at our Spring Fair on Sunday 3 November 2024. The Spring Fair is a highlight event for us and our community, hosted by our Parent Association, and it’s packed with fun activities for the whole family.

The Spring Fair will feature a variety of attractions, including the Boarders’ Farmers Market, Devonshire Tea, exciting fairground rides, diverse stalls, and live entertainment. It’s a great chance to meet our current boarders and experience the warm, inclusive community that Loreto Normanhurst is known for.

At Loreto Normanhurst, our boarding program is designed not just as a place to stay, but as a comprehensive learning and support system. We focus on holistic development, ensuring that each student benefits from a nurturing environment that fosters growth in academic, social, and personal areas.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Spring Fair and showing you what Loreto Normanhurst can offer your daughter and your family. For more details about the event and our boarding options, please visit loretonh.nsw.edu.au or contact our Enrolments Team at enrolments@loretonh.nsw.edu.au.

The post Discover the Future of Boarding at Loreto Normanhurst and Join Us for the Spring Fair! appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Local Land Services (LLS) is currently rolling out the Measuring What Matters project, providing land managers the opportunity to have their say in a survey about how they can better manage what matters in their patch.

Now in its second year, the state-wide survey is currently open for land managers of two hectares of land or more in NSW and will directly feed into how Local Land Services meets the needs of local land managers and the services it provides to support improvement in their land management practices. To further bolster the project, LLS are calling on more participants to join the survey.

LLS provides services which support land managers to manage their property in a bio-secure, profitable and sustainable way. Feedback from people on the land is key to the organisation’s ability to support land managers with funding opportunities, while also feeding directly into understanding what their customers need and how to best support them.

“We are measuring our customer experience to answer one fundamental question: what influence does LLS have in land managers’ adoption of best-practice land management systems?” Local Land Services Chief Executive Officer Kate Lorimer-Ward said.

“We are looking for feedback to assist our customers in achieving their land management goals, but to do this we need to understand the value of our services, how they meet their needs, and the impact they ultimately have on how they manage their land.”

The 15-minute survey, as well as a follow-up survey each year for five years, seeks to understand how threats on properties are managed, how soil, water, vegetation and production assets are managed, and levels of preparedness for change and emergencies.

Only one third of the more than 1000 survey participants to date have a biosecurity plan in place, just over half plant or maintain their native vegetation, and seven out of 10 are confidently managing livestock heath, nutrition and well-being.

Collecting and analysing this type of data allows LLS to adjust and enhance their services, information and opportunities to better support rural land managers into the future.

The data gathered so far has informed the LLS South East report to the Australian Government on Natural Resources Management trends. The organisation is also using the early results to design their Climate Smart Agriculture projects with the Department of Agriculture Fisheries & Forestry.

LLS is also encouraging participation by providing a competition with prizes that can be won by simply completing the baseline survey (first year participants only). Up until 30 November, new survey participants will go in the draw to win a Silvan 100L Redline Sprayer and Allflex Rapidmatic Applicator valued at up to $900 (first prize) or a Waratah Gripple Tension Tool Starter Pack valued at up to $300 (second prize). T&Cs apply.

Sign up to participate in the project. For more information, email measuringwhatmatters@lls.nsw.gov.au

The post Measuring What Matters appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

The Need for Better Farm Accommodation

In the heart of Australia’s agricultural landscape, farmers face a critical challenge—attracting and retaining top talent. The solution? Superior living conditions for farm workers. Traditional housing falls short, leaving workers cramped and uncomfortable. Aruva’s modular units are changing the game, setting a new standard for farm living.

The Problem with Traditional Solutions

“Farm workers deserve better,” say many in the farming community. “The available options are too small, uncomfortable, and not built to last. Many are imported and lack the quality needed for our environment.”

Subpar living conditions not only affect worker morale but also hinder the ability to attract skilled labour. With increasing competition for talent, the need for high-quality, durable, and comfortable accommodation has never been more urgent.

The Aruva Solution

Aruva has stepped in with state-of-the-art modular units designed with both farmers and workers in mind. “Our units offer spacious, comfortable, and robust accommodations that can withstand the demands of farm life,” says the Aruva team.

Each Aruva unit reflects superior craftsmanship and innovative design. Built from high-quality materials and featuring advanced insulation, these units provide year-round comfort. The modular design allows quick installation, minimising farm disruption.

Features and Benefits of Aruva’s Superior Modules

What sets Aruva apart is their attention to detail and commitment to quality.

• Spacious and Comfortable: Aruva’s units provide ample room for comfortable living.
• Durability: Built to endure the Australian climate, offering long-term solutions.
• Australian Owned and Built: With 32 years of experience, Aruva understands what Aussies need and builds their units to meet those needs.

Aruva’s customers report significant improvements in worker satisfaction and retention since switching to these units. They highlight the comfort and homeliness of the units, which make a noticeable difference.

Transform Your Farm Accommodation Today

The future of farm accommodation is modular. Aruva’s units are a long-term investment in worker wellbeing. Providing superior living conditions helps attract and retain top talent, boosting productivity and success. This investment in people pays real dividends, both in financial returns and in building a sustainable future for the farm.

Experience the Aruva difference. Visit their website or contact them today to transform your farm living conditions.

NSWF Partnership: Enhancing Value for Farmers

Aruva’s partnership with NSW Farmers enhances the value they offer. Paid-up members of NSW Farmers receive a free furniture package valued at up to $15k with every unit. “This partnership allows us to offer even more to our members,” says Andrew Coughlan from NSW Farmers. “It’s about bringing real, tangible benefits to our farming community.”

NSW Farmers members can leverage these benefits to improve operations and worker satisfaction, impacting overall productivity and success.

Contact Information: Aruva Modular Website: www.aruva.au Phone: 1300 59 59 31

RELATED: Regional housing squeeze holding back economy

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Fifth-generation NSW farmer Neil Westcott has spent the last 25 years replacing his stock with an all-out cropping operation. He is among a growing number of farmers using Australian agricultural company Loam Bio’s novel technology to sequester carbon into farming soils, improving soil health and productivity.

Loam’s scientifically-backed carbon fixing fungal inoculant, CarbonBuilder, helps unlock and store stable carbon in agricultural soils, and is easily integrated into existing cropping operations.

Neil and his family are partners in a SecondCrop soil carbon project with Loam on a 571-hectare site about 30 kilometres north of Parkes in NSW. This is the 500th eligible soil carbon project under the Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) administered by the Clean Energy Regulator. 

“I believe, as farmers, we have a responsibility to help return the environment to the way it was, to put things back as they were, to make things right, and to make a difference. This needs to be done at the same time as driving profit margins for the grower. Carbon farming does exactly this.”

Neil Wescott

“I chose Loam because its products are based on science, harnessing the power of microbes to unlock the opportunity to remove carbon at a gigatonne scale from the atmosphere, while increasing soil productivity in agriculture; because no other company, agency or government body has made an investment into R&D of this scale; because it stacks up against the most rigorous and heavily scrutinised set of auditing in the world; and because its 25-year carbon projects show a long-term commitment on both sides that is a solution-focused approach.”

Since 2019, Loam has invested more than $70 million in lab projects, replicated field trials, and full-farm demonstrations to develop the game-changing technology. This also includes academic validation, with independent Australian researchers recently demonstrating that Loam Bio’s CarbonBuilder fungi can increase soil carbon levels, while also stabilising the carbon (Stuart et al.2024). 

“Good farming starts and ends with soil. Whether in a harsh drought or a flood, eventually, it is the condition of your soil that determines inputs and outputs,” Neil said. 

“I see good soil health as a means of future-proofing our operations, to mitigate environmental variations.  Loam’s carbon projects are a no-brainer. I want to make sustainable and impactful changes now to set future generations up for a stronger tomorrow.

“Loam offers a solution-based approach to carbon farming: to improve soil health, diversify farmers’ income through ACCUs and drive environmental outcomes for the greater good.”

Loam set up its headquarters in NSW, and has grown to a team of 140 researchers, agronomists and carbon project specialists here and in Loam offices across the world.

Click here for more info about Loam Bio.

If you enjoyed reading about carbon sequestration, you may like to read more about Loam Bio’s projects for soil carbon.

The post Carbon sequestration in broadacre cropping can safeguard against seasons appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Now there is a scientifically-backed tool to help unlock and store stable carbon in agricultural soil that is easily integrated into existing cropping operations. 

Australian agricultural company Loam Bio has developed novel technology for sequestering carbon into farming soils. The world-first ‘carbon fixing’ fungal inoculant, CarbonBuilder, builds stable soil carbon for farmers and delivers maximum benefits back to the farm business by effectively allowing farmers to grow two crops in one paddock: a grain crop above, and a soil carbon crop below. 

With the worldwide carbon market expected to more than double to US$2.68 trillion by 2028 (https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5774731), there is unprecedented opportunity for farmers to take advantage of this new market, and diversify on-farm income. 

Loam Bio is helping make that happen. 

Since 2019, Loam Bio has invested more than $70 million in lab projects, replicated field trials, and full-farm demonstrations to develop the game-changing technology. This also includes academic validation, with independent Australian researchers recently demonstrating that Loam Bio’s CarbonBuilder fungi can increase soil carbon levels, and stabilise the carbon too (Stuart et al.2024). 

Historically, the potential impacts and mechanisms for fungi’s impact on carbon cycling have been largely unknown. Recent scientific breakthroughs have been made by research teams across Australia. This includes peer-reviewed research from Western Sydney University showing inoculation with fungi from Loam Bio’s microbial library delivered a 9.4% higher carbon level in soil.  

With this body of research, and commercialisation of this technology, farmers now have a proven method to take carbon from the atmosphere, and secure it in the soil, where it’s useful to improve soil fertility, crop yields, and put carbon credits on the balance sheet.

In field studies over recent years across wheat, barley and canola crops, CarbonBuilder has been delivering between 3-5 more tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare over ‘business as usual’.

In a small pilot (1500 hectares) growing canola, 7000 tonnes of carbon were stored out of the atmosphere by the CarbonBuilder product. 

Farmers now have the opportunity to mitigate business risk, or take advantage of the carbon markets by using CarbonBuilder, the easy-to-adopt tool in broadacre cropping that can be scaled at speed in broadacre agriculture. 

Stuart Tighe is a farmer and founder of Pure Grain Network, a first-of-its-kind national grower network that directly connects growers to end users with data enriched commodities. PURE Grain’s research and development division has been growing to meet the needs of it customers, and are optimistic about Loam’s products.

“We deliver independent and high-quality research so that growers and end users can get best bang for buck, having dedicated a 430-hectare farm at Pallamallawa in northern NSW to trial commercial products and new practices on a large scale basis,” Mr Tighe said.

“We are leading paddock-scale trials to demonstrate the performance of products such as Loam Bio’s CarbonBuilder in ‘the real world, business-as-usual’ setting, as the farmer would see it, and the results are highly promising.

PURE Grain’s trialling of products such as “Loam’s” allow us to strike the balance between productivity, profitability and sustainability.”

**Loam Bio set up its headquarters in NSW, and has grown to a team of 140. Which includes researchers, agronomists and carbon project specialists in Australia as well as Loam offices across the world.

Visit https://www.loambio.com/

The post New Technology for Building Soil Carbon Now Available appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

This milestone, family-owned event will showcase the diversity of Northern Rivers agribusinesses and communities, plus the dedication to the region by the Wright family since the expo was inaugurated by John Wright in 1985.

From electric motorbikes to cattle, camper trailers to tractors, and health professionals to innovative technology, Primex director Bruce Wright says this will be the most extensive in the event’s history.

“All elements in a farmer’s life are reflected,” Bruce said. “As the only family-owned agricultural field day we’re proud of more than 40 years servicing the needs of farming and rural communities across one of the most diverse primary industry sectors in the world.” It’s not just farmers and machinery, he adds. It’s also about how farmers live, their quality of life and their produce while educating visitors from across the region’

The Richmond Valley Events Centre’s site this year will play host to some 400 exhibitors, 1200 companies and an expected 30,000 visitors.  Exhibitors launch from an estimated $67 million in sales generated in 2023 and all leading brands of tractors, trucks, earthmoving, 4WDs will share centre stage. All are expected to “put on a show” alongside international exhibitors attending for the first time.

Traditional machinery will be complemented by agritech advances showcased in Ag Tech Alley, one of 10 specific hubs which includes popular livestock features plus an education, training and careers feature with jobs centre and over a dozen providers supporting business, pathways for employment and training with TAFE and Southern Cross University.

There is a major, national-level forestry and timber exhibition, a health and well-being hub, affordable housing and one for regenerative agriculture _ plus an outdoor leisure feature and a Nourish program, showcasing local food and products to connect farmers with foodies.

For ticket sales and full program, visit: www.primex.net.au

The post 40 YEARS OF PRIMEX CELEBRATORY EVENT! appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Farmsafe Australia is committed to improving the wellbeing and productivity of Australian agriculture, generating awareness and resources to help farmers be proactive with safe work practices and to better inform decision making. 

The partnership will see WFI Insurance take on the role of ambassador for Farmsafe Australia and sponsor the highly regarded annual ‘Safer Farms Report’, with the next report to be published in line with National Farm Safety week ‘In Safe Hands’, 14th – 20th July 2024. 

Established more than a century ago, WFI is one of Australia’s leading rural insurers, operating via a unique face-to-face service model, with over 100 representatives living and working in the agricultural communities it serves. 

Farmsafe Australia sees WFI’s personal relationship model as an additional benefit to the partnership, with WFI representatives set to deliver vital safety information to clients first-hand when visiting farms. 

Executive General Manager WFI Insurance, Andrew Beer said: 

“WFI Insurance is delighted to be partnering with Farmsafe Australia. In line with our purpose ‘to make your world a safer place’, we have a shared ambition, to protect the safety and wellbeing of farmers and their farms. 

“As an insurer, we unfortunately see the devastating outcomes when care and caution isn’t exercised on farms. People don’t intend or expect for incidents to happen, but things can quickly go wrong. The importance of education and raising risk awareness can’t be underestimated in saving lives and preventing injuries. 

“I am excited at the prospects of what this partnership can achieve and look forward to working together to help reduce risk and improve safety on farms.” 

Chair of Farmsafe Australia, Felicity Richards said: 

“Farmsafe Australia has a natural alignment with WFI Insurance, as we mutually seek to reduce accidents, injuries and fatalities on farms. I am grateful for their support and commitment to ensuring we improve farming practices across Australia. 

“Farmers work in the elements, with large animals, chemicals, machinery and heavy loads. Their work can be remote and solitary, with farmers often unaware of the significant risks they are exposed to. Together, WFI Insurance and Farmsafe can help farmers mitigate those risks and return home safely every day.” 

For further information on Farmsafe Australia or to access their latest safety advice and insights, please visit: farmsafe.org.au

The post WFI Insurance and Farmsafe Australia forge partnership to promote safer work practices on farms appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

Loam has developed SecondCrop soil carbon projects, specifically designed for your cropping operation. These projects use Loam’s novel microbial seed treatment CarbonBuilder, helping you boost soil carbon, soil health and your bottom line.

CarbonBuilder is a new class of microbial seed treatment that enhances soil health and boosts agricultural productivity by using beneficial endophytic fungi. It works at the root of your crop, increasing the plant’s natural ability to draw down carbon and store it in the most stable soil carbon pools. While doing so, it also improves your grain yields. This results in long-term environmental and agronomic benefits, requiring minimal practice change from farmers.

Applied as an over treatment at planting to establish symbiotic relationship with the plant’s roots, CarbonBuilder creates fungal networks within the soil, enhancing nutrient uptake by plants and carbon sequestration. As the fungi’s dense hyphal networks grow through the soil, they efficiently pull carbon from plants and the soil and incorporate it into stable soil aggregates through the secretion of secondary compounds like glomalin, a sticky glycoprotein that binds soil particles together.

Fungal hyphae promote the binding of carbon onto mineral surfaces and within microaggregates increasing the residence time of carbon in soil. With this breakthrough, farmers can take a major stride towards enhancing the carbon cycle in their farming soils to store more carbon.

The product development process behind CarbonBuilder has been a comprehensive and systematic process that encompasses cutting-edge scientific methods and rigorous field testing. Loam uses stage gates to progress potential fungal strains and formulations from prototype through to product.

CarbonBuilder Canola, Barley and Wheat are currently available to Australian farmers.

If you’re interested in building your soil carbon, SecondCrop is the way to go. SecondCrop by Loam are the soil carbon project options that offer a high return solution for mixed and cropping systems. Combining the ground-breaking CarbonBuilder product to build stable soil carbon, with agronomic support, and farmer friendly agreement terms, SecondCrop gives you the confidence to get started.

Carbon building technology. No setup costs. Cooling off periods.

Kick off your carbon journey by filling out our grower interest survey.

Visit https://www.loambio.com/

Grower Interest Survey: https://loambio.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7OqOS1qJLE94Urs 

The post Add carbon to your balance sheet appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.

While terms such as ‘crop rotation’, ‘irrigation’, and ‘agriculture’ frequent conversations amongst Australian farmers, ‘life insurance’ is typically a less discussed topic.

Farmers are no strangers to the unpredictable challenges which threaten the agriculture industry, including fluctuating market prices, livestock illness, crop-failure, and weather-related risks. However, even the most prepared farmers cannot anticipate everything.

Thinking about this in a real-life situation, what seems a farfetched story, was actually the frightening reality for Indian farmer, Thimmaiah, who had a narrow escape with a wild elephant in March 2024. The areca farmer was working early in the Kesaguli Village of Karnataka, when a wild elephant identified by locals as ‘Karadi’, charged at him. Thimmaiah was chased as he ran to safety towards a farmhouse, where CCTV footage  shows him hiding under a car to evade being in range of the elephants tusks. Not something we hear everyday here in Australia!

Whether it be being chased by wildlife, or losing crops at the hands of them, life insurance can act as a security blanket against unforeseen circumstances and help to provide financial assistance to Australians during challenging times. Knowing you and your loved ones can be protected through life insurance if the unexpected occurs – including charging animals – can give you that peace of mind so you can spend time focusing on what’s truly important to you.

With 68%² of Australians employed within the agriculture industry working full time, there is a great dependence on their farms for their livelihood. That is why having precautions in place to help pay off debts, cover expenses, and protect loved ones from financial hardship cannot be underestimated.

In line with the saying “the early bird catches the worm”, there’s no time like the present, consider life insurance for you and your family.

NobleOak Life Insurance premiums are more than 20% lower on average~ compared to other direct life insurers, this includes a 10% lifetime discount on life cover* for NSWFA members, sowing the seed to safeguard your future is more accessible than ever with NobleOak.

For more information on how to reduce financial uncertainty in your life, it only takes a few minutes to get a quote for life insurance online or over the phone by calling NobleOak on 1300 108 490.

The post From Crop Fields to Close Calls appeared first on The Farmer Magazine.