Ep 28: Opportunities in Soil Carbon

EPISODE 28:

In this episode we’re talking about soil carbon – we discuss both the opportunities and challenges the measurement and improvement of soil carbon can present for farmers.

We’re joined by Cam Nicholson, a soil carbon consultant and agronomist. He explains new technology that is being developed to measure carbon and the pitfalls farmers can fall into when carbon accounting.

We speak to Precision Ag’s principal scientist Dr Kirsten Barlow, who explains why they’ve introduced an independent soil carbon baselining service – plus she’ll talk us through how technology is currently being used to inform and administer variable rates.

We also talk to Richard Malone from Customised Farm Management Australia. Richard is based in Griffith in southern NSW and he tells us about what he sees as the potential benefits of measuring and improving soil carbon from a corporate farming perspective.

FEATURING:

CAM NICHOLSON – INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT

Cam Nicholson is a director of Nicon Rural Services, a consulting business near Geelong working with the grazing and cropping industries. Cam has worked in pasture agronomy and soils for 35 years and has been involved in many farmer programs for the GRDC, MLA, Landcare and the current Future Drought Fund.  He provides consultancy advice to farmers and lectures on animal and pasture systems at Marcus Oldham College. His most recent work has focused on understanding and discussing risk in farming businesses, carbon accounting and decision making.

KIRSTEN BARLOW – PRECISION AG

Dr Kirsten Barlow oversees the Research & Innovation (R&I) division of Precision Ag providing research capacity and capability for the Company’s applied science and research projects. She is also a primary source of technical guidance to Precision Ag’s customers, agronomy partners and sales teams. Kirsten Barlow is soil scientist with over 20 years of experience in agricultural and soil science research, including nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics and movement from a range of farming systems.

RICHARD MALONE – CUSTOMISED FARM MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA

Richard is the Southern Area Manager for rural asset management company Customised Farm Management. Based in the Riverina of NSW, Richard’s experience spans over 14 years of broadacre and horticultural expertise as an independent agronomist. Richard now manages a portfolio of properties with Horticulture, Broadacre and Livestock mixed farming systems in Southern NSW. He has developed a focus in permanent horticultural developments and land use change, specialising in intensive agricultural operations on the aggregations managed.