Learningtobe sustainable

Initiative helping Southern Downs farmers reduce future greenhouse gas emissions

AQueensland Farmers’ Federation initiative is at the forefront of growers’ minds across the Southern Downs, as it aims to educate the region on implementing environmentally friendly operational processes to reduce future on-farm energy and greenhouse gas emissions.

Understanding how to incorporate future energy-efficient farming operations is high on the agenda for Stanthorpe’s Ashbern Farms property manager Richard Ross.

The Southern Downs and Granite Belt strawberry farm has signed up to join a Queensland Farmers’ Federation program for farmers in the Southern Downs and Goondiwindi council regions to improve and implement energyefficient on-farm operations.

Vertical Feed -mixers

The initiative called EnergySQ also aims to educate growers on how they can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Ashbern Farms produces fruit for nine months of the year and is currently powered by solar panels, which facilitate power across two setups, including a packing shed which houses produce cold rooms and to a residential site.

“This year we’ve gone to using variable speed drives on a new pump site. We’re always trying to improve the way we do things,” Ross says.

“The biggest thing that we want to do is understand our consumption better and see if there’s a way we can improve it. Understanding is the key at the moment.”

The biggest challenge Ashbern Farms has faced in reducing their energy consumption is irrigation and the timing of their operations, with the majority of on-farm energy consumption occurring during peak production times, which are between October to late May.

“It’s really good to have these industry initiatives and support groups, as we often don’t have time to do these energy action plans ourselves,” Ross says.

Granite Belt Growers Association industry support officer Narissa Corfe says that since the Queensland Farmers’ Federation meeting earlier in the year with growers from the region, a small number of growers have since taken the program on.

“Most people want to know where they can save money, so initiatives like this are definitely a positive for the region,” Corfe says.

“Our team is very environmentally focused and are always looking at how to implement ways our growers can develop energy and water savings.”

For 60 years the heart of the RENN Roller Mill has been its precisionmachined 16 ” diameter rolls, which provide more grain rolling area per revolution compared to other brands of roller mills with smaller diameter rolls.

RENN Roller Mills save time and money year after year by rolling more grain per hour with less horsepower.

Southern Downs Regional Council mayor Vic Pennisi says the council has distributed the initiatives information through its networks and encourages food producers to access the intended benefits.

“Every dollar saved is another step to sustainability,” he says. “With escalating power prices and the cost of electricity being a major cost input for many producers, council is hopeful this program will be embraced and prove beneficial.”

The process involves a QFF representative to review on-farm energy consumption by observing electricity usage history, completing an on-site visit to determine any energy and greenhouse gas emissions opportunities, and any other emissions from on-farm operations.

Once this is complete, farmers are provided with an energy and carbon action plan for their consideration and implementation.

Further information about the EnergySQ initiative can be found on the Queensland Farmers’ Federation website.