Greenhouse Strategy

In rice, methane is considered the main contributor to greenhouse gases and is produced by bacteria in the anaerobic environment. Water management, soil structure, gypsum applications and the amount of stubble incorporation can affect the level of methane emissions. In lesser quantities, nitrous oxide can also be produced.

Rice cultivation in Australia produces about 75% less methane than other rice growing nations and this makes up only 1% of the emissions from all of Australian agriculture.

Carbon farming in a rice-based system

Relatively little is known about greenhouse gas emissions from rice-based  farming systems in Australia and there is currently no methodology specifically tailored for farmers using a rice-based system to earn carbon credits.   

Through new R&D, the rice industry is trying to discover more about its emissions profile to assess the potential benefits of carbon farming for rice growers.  However, the possibility of rice growers trading carbon credits in the immediate future is highly unlikely.

 Soil carbon science is still in its infancy and organisations claiming to be able to generate carbon credits for landholders via soil carbon sequestration should be treated with extreme caution.

 The ECP program can provide growers with the tools and expertise to engage with carbon farming issues.

Click here to view RGA's Fact Sheet on carbon farming in a rice-based system.

The government's Carbon Farming Initiative handbook can be acessed here: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/initiatives/carbon-farming-initiative/handbook.aspx 

Electronic score card

As part of our environmental commitment, we’ve designed an innovative electronic score card which allows farmers to input their production data and calculate their emissions in a typical year. Measures are then implemented to reduce these emissions.

The six general areas associated with a typical rice farm that have a potential impact on the greenhouse effect are:

1. Agricultural practice
2. Energy utilisation
3. Waste management
4. Uptake of renewable energy
5. Carbon sequestration
6. Emissions trading

The Greenhouse Action Plan, delivered through the Environmental Champions Program, recognises growers for their contributions to reducing greenhouse emissions.

The actions within the plan focus on cost-effective measures that abate greenhouse gas emissions. This involves using the latest research to improve energy efficiency and waste management.

The processing side of the rice industry has also implemented measures to reduce the greenhouse gases produced during milling and packaging.