The National Farmers Federation says it is concerned a Federal Government carbon farming initiative may cause a major shift in land use across Australia.
A pilot carbon farm is being set up in Central Australia, with a cattle station being revegetated with native species.
Federation president Jock Laurie says the scheme offers good benefits to farmers but and he is concerned it could have an impact on future food production and stocks.
“If carbon becomes a commodity, which it certainly will be under this legislation, and it has real value, and people see merit in going into farming carbon rather than farming food, then you can have a real shift in what agricultural land is being used for,” he said.
RM Williams Agricultural Holdings (RMWAH) has bought the 5,186 square kilometre Henbury Station, about 120 kilometres south of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory for $13 million.
The purchase is being two-thirds funded by the federal government.
Stuart Blanch, coordinator of The Northern Territory Environment Centre, has welcomed the carbon farming pilot project launched yesterday.
“It is a great initiative,” he said.
“I think it sets a real precedent for the whole Territory.
“It brings greater economic diversity to the pastoral estate, which is very important at a time when the live cattle ban is affecting half of the Territory and its economic income.”
Meanwhile, the CSIRO in Central Australia says it hopes to be involved in assisting properties in arid regions to develop carbon farming.
Alice Springs scientist Ashley Sparrow says the CSIRO is in the early stages of discussions with RMWAH to assist in the pilot project.
“They have certainly approached us and said that they are really interested in the expertise that we can bring,” he said.
“CSIRO in Darwin has a long history in working on carbon in the savannah regions and Alice Springs laboratory has been starting to work on what that might look like if you try to do it in a much drier environment like we have down here.”
Mr Sparrow says the land has been worn down and replanting and restoration will be slow.
“Being central Australia, it is going to take quite some time, dependent on when we get our next big rainfall events because most recovery is really driven by rainfall events, which allow plants to recover.”
