A Gippsland beef producer says he agrees with modelling that shows without action to reduce carbon emissions, climate change will mean farm profits will suffer.
Modelling by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences shows overall farm earnings have already taken a significant hit from changing seasonal conditions.
ABARES found there's been a $29,200 fall in average annual farm profits in the past two decades, despite total Australian broadacre farm productivity actually rising 28 per cent in the past 30 years.
Berry's Creek beef producer Fergus O'Connor said he, and his wife Deb, had seen the impacts of climate change, with reduced rainfall and a perennial spring close to drying up in 2019.
They have planted 18,000 trees for shade and shelter and introduced rotational grazing to mitigate against some of the impact of a changing climate.
"We have invested in water storage and underground water piping to allow us to transport water further," Mr O'Connor said.
"We have to carry a lot more feed than we have ever before, in case of drought," he said.
He said he was feeling the impact at store cattle sales, such as Koonwarra where he buys steers for fattening.
"Because the drought has broken up north, agents are just buying all the cattle and it's making it so difficult for locals to compete," he said.
"When we bought our place nine years ago, after moving off the Mornington Peninsula, we could stock it for under $40,000 - if we have to stock it today, it would cost $250,000."
Least affected
Mr O'Connor said the Bureau of Meteorology had told him south Gippsland would be the least affected area in Australia, when it came to the changing climate
The federal government needed to recognise there was a change in climate and encourage less resilience on fossil fuels.
"Over 20 years ago, Germany and the UK planned to get out of coal and fossil fuels, but we haven't even acknowledged that's the problem," he said.
Mr O'Connor said there was little incentive to store carbon, even though his soil tests showed improvements on his property, over the last four years, from two and a half to four per cent.
"But I can't get paid for that, because there is not a scheme I can join," he said.
It would cost $54,000 to join the Emissions Reduction Scheme.
"There are only 120 farmers in Australia on it, and I know of one who has made $6000 in the last eight years for his $54,000 investment," he said.
Livestock impact
Angus Whyte, a livestock producer from Wyndham station, north of Wentworth, in south-west NSW, said governments and industry needed to invest in more research and development into climate change adaptation, including more flexible farming systems.
He is in a low to medium rainfall zone.
"Just going on what we have seen in the last 20 years, which have been some fairly tough, very dry and wet years, I would say that trend is continuing," Mr Whyte said.
"If someone said to me there was a report out that said we were going to have average weather, going back to wet winters, I wouldn't believe them."
But he said it was never too late to make a change.
"It's a bit like when we started picking up rubbish and suggesting my Mintie wrapper wasn't contributing and wasn't going to make a difference - every small bit makes a difference."
He said nationally, emissions needed to be reduced, through lower use of fossil fuel.
"We need to try and reduce the impact of a warming climate by making sure the soil is alive and is going to minimise the impacts of a variable climate.
"In our part of the world, we are looking at how we can better manage that 'skin" - the soils - so we can make sure we are set up for very dry, hot, cold and extremely wet times and everything in between."
That meant good infiltration of water and slower runoff.
"The healthier and greener we can keep the heart of Australia - the rangelands - (the more) we can help reduce the effects of climate change on our medium rainfall agriculture zones."
Farmers for Climate Action chief executive Fiona Davis said the ABARES report showed even if emissions peaked by 2040, farm profits are projected to fall by up to 32 per cent.
"Australian farmers are incredible at adapting, as this report notes, but there are ultimately limits to what they can adapt to," Ms Davis said.
"The longer we delay action to reduce emissions the worse the effects of climate change on farms will be."
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
