Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has launched an updated version of their online, web-based greenhouse gas (GHG) calculator. The previous version enabled Sheep, Beef, and Grain producers to calculate their baseline carbon emissions by digitising the Sheep and Beef Greenhouse Accounting Framework (SB-GAF) and Grain Greenhouse Accounting Framework (G-GAF) tools.
Now, for the first time, enterprises that include goat and feedlot production systems can also use the tool, as it has integrated the Goat and Feedlot Greenhouse Accounting Frameworks (Go-GAF and F-GAF).
According to MLA’s Program Manager – Environmental Sustainability, Dr Margaret Jewell, completing a carbon account is the first step producers should take to increase their carbon awareness and determine what their net GHG emissions position is.
“This helps them identify strategies to reduce their emissions and improve carbon storage on-farm, which has multiple opportunities, one of which is improved productivity and profitability”, said Dr Jewell.
MLA has also released the Quick Start Carbon Calculator, which allows producers to get a ballpark estimate of their GHG emissions using some basic data points (including livestock numbers, land size, rainfall and plantings).
The Quick Start Carbon Calculator has been incorporated into a new eLearning module, Carbon in Action, available on MLA’s website.