22 October 2024
Tas Farmers believes the agricultural industry is part of the solution, not the problem, when it comes to climate change.
While a recent report by the Climate Change Authority has suggested the cattle industry and consumers should reduce the consumption of beef in the future, projections from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation predict that it will actually increase over the next 20 years.
Either way, the industry isn’t going anywhere, and farmers can help the government reach its target of reducing emission by 26-28 per cent by 2030.
Read more: Leadership farm life and legacy
Agriculture is vital for food security and provides huge economic and social benefits for rural Australia, which is why solutions like Sea Forest’s methane- busting feed supplements are a critical tool, because they address reductions in global methane emissions, while allowing farming to continue, with minimal change in practises for the farmer.
Through innovation, cattle producers are keen to participate in the fight against climate change, partnering with climate technology companies like Sea Forest while also employing other on-farm strategies to reduce emissions.
Many cattle producers along with Tasmania’s Sea Forest support the global pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30 per cent over the next decade.
Read more: Primary Employers Tasmania, 21 October 2024 Newsletter
Sea Forest is delivering its SeaFeed product, made with native seaweed, as a supplement for livestock across the world to lower their methane emissions and as a result help limit future temperature rises.
Founded in Triabunna, Sea Forest is currently expanding its facilities across the company’s two sites on the East coast of Tasmania in order to support the industry which has already started actioning sustainable plans for the future.
Australian trials with a range of major companies of the SeaFeed supplements in livestock feed have shown they have a significant impact in cutting methane emissions.
Read more: Copper theft on Tasmanian farms raises alarm
CEO of Sea Forest, Mr Sam Elsom said, “Cattle producers, brands and retailers around the world recognise the impact of methane emissions from livestock and they’re doing something about it by partnering with us and other companies.
Our work with a range of beef, diary and wool companies across Australia have shown excellent results and we’re confident we and our cattle producing partners can make a tangible impact on climate change,” he added.
This is an emerging space with huge potential and Sea Forest is one of the leaders in the field with the capacity to feed more than 2,000,000 cattle from its Triabunna and Swansea operations in Tasmania, which represents the potential to eliminate more than 10 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from livestock per year.