Carbon is not a dirty word

His initial campaign to encourage the state government to include discussions of carbon flows in grazing extension programs was met with a dismissive response from Agriculture Minister John McVeigh.

“The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and its officers are well aware of the basic principles of soil science and these are included in all our farm best management practice programs,” he told the Queensland Country Life in February.

Mr Lauder, a former grazier from Cunnamulla and the author of Carbon Grazing: The Missing Link, said his ideas about carbon flows above ground took the debate past soil carbon, which was why he described the concept as 21st century knowledge.

“Discussing carbon flows is a different way for graziers to look at the landscape and understand how it functions,” he said.

“The paddock with the highest flows will be the most productive.

“Landholders need to imagine things differently.

“At the moment most can only see outcomes, not the processes in action.”

Mr Lauder said he was simply trying to progress the debate around land management by encouraging a better understanding of carbon.

“All I am seeking from the billboard campaign is a standalone carbon module.

“It doesn’t entail changing or rewriting current extension.

“The carbon flows concept would simply be part of the carbon module along with other relevant aspects of carbon in relation to landscape function.”

It would appear his direct appeal to the Premier to remind his minister that carbon flows underpin food production, profit and protect the reef has fallen on deaf ears once again.

According to a spokesman for the Premier, while he is aware of the billboard and has previously discussed the issue of carbon flows with Mr Lauder, the Premier endorses the government’s activities in this field.

Mr Lauder suspects the reluctance to go into carbon in detail in extension programs has its foundation in the politics surrounding the word.

“The vital understanding about carbon flows has been overshadowed by the debate about climate change.

“I am disappointed the Newman government has chosen to play politics with the word carbon to the detriment of producers,” he said.

“The desire not to say anything positive about carbon is one of the reasons why they don’t want to use the word in extension.”

Despite government reluctance, the University of Queensland has told Mr Lauder that teaching around the issues of carbon management and flows will be incorporated into its new approach to agricultural programs currently being developed for diploma and advanced diploma level courses.

“Our review of your work and content to date illustrates a sound and practical interpretation of the information available to assist either students or practitioners to attain fundamental concepts and applications to incorporate best management practices,” spokesman Mark Pace said.

He added that Mr Lauder’s level of knowledge would be of great assistance in the educational arena “to better prepare our future practitioners in agriculture”.

At a June meeting of the Royal Society of Queensland held at the Queensland Museum, which Mr Lauder addressed, president Geoff Edwards put out a call to action for a sponsor for a research project to “clinch his case”.

“Alan… has realised that carbon flows at different speeds through the ecosystem (which) changes our former ideas to carbon and land management,” he said.

“For his field observations to be mainstreamed into public policy, they need to be validated by scientifically corroborated measurements.”