NSW Farmers' ask the right question

NSW Farmers’ Association President Jock Laurie says the environment is shaping up to be the leading issue for the 2007 State Election and voters must know where the two major parties stand on carbon trading.

“The Association is calling on the Government to establish a carbon market that rewards farmers for using cropping, grazing and vegetation management practices that enhance carbon storage,” Mr Laurie said.

“Farmers can help Australia by storing carbon on their land, essentially pulling carbon from the atmosphere and storing carbon in the soil and in vegetation,” Mr Laurie said.

“Agriculture is the only sector to have made a significant contribution to reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, with more than 40% reductions from 1990 levels. We would like to see the entire community support these and further reductions,” Mr Laurie said.

“We are calling for a carbon trading scheme with rules that encourage the major greenhouse polluters to purchase carbon credits from farmers. We want to see soil carbon included as a tradable carbon store at state, national and international levels,” Mr Laurie said.