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ANIMAL HEALTH AND RESEARCH
emissions from grass-fed cattle and the manner in which this contributes both to net GHG emissions and to atmospheric warming. The consequences of not taking action will pot- entially involve costly interventions and greater difficulty accessing financial services, which would have direct implications for production costs and asset values. It is crucial Government and industry research ef- forts are “in sync”, and producers have access to ac- curate data on the net effect of both their CO2 and their methane emissions – something which is cur- rently missing. There is a real opportunity here to further display the benefit of Australian red meat production to the environment, while considering the importance of food security, nutritional security, and the societal role of meat. Future goals need to continue to stimulate invest- ment to ensure an ongoing positive impact on the cli- mate, in conjunction with the continued productivity and profitability of our sector. Dr Chris Parker is a beef producer, respected veterin- arian and the current Chief Executive Officer of Cattle Australia. At the helm of Cattle Australia since Novem- ber 2023, Dr Parker’s focus is on working in collabora- tion with the organisation’s Board and members to be a powerful voice representing grass-fed cattle produ- cers throughout the country.
significant commitment to mitigating its emissions, with large sections of the industry already seques- tering more CO2 than they produce, and we will not deviate from this endeavour. The scale of Australian grazing land means beef producers also have the ability to sequester carbon in vegetation and soil like no other sector. Moreover, we must recognise Australian cattle often graze non-arable and native landscapes, where they do an incredible job of transforming cellulose, which is indigestible to humans, into high-quality, nutritious animal protein (beef). Policy missteps and the way forward In light of this, it is imperative we focus on the ap- plication of the current accounting methodologies, which risk policy missteps and unfair burdens on a critical sector of the economy. The industry is currently being stymied by a national accounting method that does not reflect the complex- ity and opportunity of grass-fed enteric methane. This is due to a fundamental lack of understand- ing regarding the net position of grass-fed enteric methane emissions, and the fact we are only partially measuring the emissions versus sequestration equa- tion (CO2 capture through biomass). Particular attention needs to be given to the specific nuances the beef industry has when it comes to GHG emissions, and there needs to be more work done to understand the biogenic nature of methane
See p 144 for a simpler way to order your livestock tracking tags.
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