The Hidden Tonnes of Soil Carbon

The Potential of Australian Farmers to Earn Income from Soil Carbon Sequestration has been estimated at unrealisticially low levels. The peer-reviewed science fails to replicate what farmers can achieve because it studies only monopractice (single practice change), it does not study polypractice (multiple practice changes) which is the real-world behaviour of farmers seeking to enrich their soils and increase their soil carbon levels.

The highest level of increase recorded by scientists studying monopractices is 0.5 tonnes of carbon. Experienced carbon farmers using multiple land management changes have recorded 30 tonnes and more per year for 10 years.

These tonnages are not recognised by government scientists because they have not studied it and have no plans to study it. Officially they don't exist. The studies, when they take place, can take up to 5 years. Years can pass before funding is available, then three year field trials, followed by a year getting the results published in an academic journal before it can be considered 'sound science'.

The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists have declared that there is no peer-reviewed science that reveals the potential of carbon farming for soil carbon sequestration. They are right. Public policy has not been informed by knowledge of the existence of the Hidden Tonnes of Soil Carbon.