Gundagai farmer has visions of greener pastures

Gundagai sheep and cattle producer Sam Archer is a visionary in Australian agriculture, who is lobbying for a national, voluntary scheme for farmers to help drive environmental gains for Australia and the general public.

Key points

• Sam Archer proposes a national scheme whereby farmers produce food from their sustainable land and set aside their marginal land for environmental outcomes such as carbon credits, wildlife habitat or bushland protection
• Sam and his wife, Sabrina, are implementing a raft of management activities on their 1500 hectare farm to make the land more sustainable and deliver environmental, social and financial benefits
• Sam - who is chairman of the influential Murrumbidgee Landcare Network - is also involved in four separate trials on his property to research the benefits of environmentally-sustainable farming

In 20 years time, farmers all over Australia might well be looking across their landscape and attributing its striking, natural state to what one Gundagai farmer instigated on a chilly day in Canberra in late 2009.

These innovative farmers would be producing food for the world from their sustainable land and setting aside their marginal land for environmental outcomes such as carbon credits, wildlife habitat or bushland protection.

And even in times of low food prices and drought, they would remain profitable.

The Gundagai farmer credited for this 2030 vision would be Sam Archer, a sheep and cattle producer who is single-minded in his commitment to environmentally-sustainable farming.

Need to establish an ecosystem service schemes

In today's world, Sam believes there are many innovative ecosystem service schemes already operating around the globe which could be adapted for Australian farming. And it is this idea that Sam proposed to Canberra scientists, environmentalists, government agencies, farmers and indigenous representatives in a landmark discussion in 2009.

"Australia's farmers manage 61% of the nation's landmass so they have the greatest capacity to protect and enhance our ecosystems," Sam says.

"Australia should seize the opportunity to lead the world in sustainable ecosystem preservation and management."

When it comes to "walking the talk", Sam Archer - who is also chairman of the influential Murrumbidgee Landcare Network - is a role model.

Managing the land sustainably

On his own farm, Sam's goal is to set aside the marginal land for environmental outcomes and focus on lifting stocking rates on the productive land. "If we tread more softly on our environmentally-sensitive land, then it frees us up to concentrate on generating greater returns from the productive land," he says.

To make their land more sustainable and deliver environmental, social and financial benefits, Sam and his wife, Sabrina, implement a raft of management activities on their 1500 hectare farm.

The Archers have mitigated erosion on hilly areas by fencing the area off to allow native perennial grasses to regenerate, by repeatedly flowering and setting seed.

With their productive land, they rotate livestock from paddock to paddock to allow land to rest, native perennial grasses to regenerate and maximise the health of livestock.

Revegetation of gullies and water ways is also important in enabling them to provide shelter for livestock and encourage biodiversity.
Researching the environmental gains.

Assisting with research

To make an impact beyond their own farm gate, Sam and Sabrina are participating in four separate trials run by different agencies.
In conjunction with Canberra's Australian National University (ANU), the Archers have participated in a 10-year longitudinal study to look at flora and fauna.

With the CSIRO, their land is part of a study looking at the impact of rotational grazing on native vegetation and biodiversity.

Under a pilot project instigated by the NSW Government, they have been involved in an environmental services scheme, which aimed to establish a market price for environmental credits for carbon, water, soil, salinity and biodiversity.

And with the Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority, the Archers have been part of a ten-year commitment to deliver improved biodiversity and native grasslands.

"Research into biodiversity, native vegetation and regeneration is critical to underpin and drive environmental outcomes on farms across Australia," Sam says.

Focusing on the big picture

Complementing Sam's own sustainable farming and involvement in environmental research projects is his ability to focus on the bigger picture - his 2030 vision.

It's this vision - a national, voluntary ecosystem service scheme based on good science, good policy and goodwill for Australian farmers - that Sam has proposed to the nation's decision-makers.

Under his proposal, farmers would trade a range of environmental goods and services in the form of environmental works which improve soil health, air and water quality, sequester carbon, manage salinity and increase biodiversity in return for an annual ecosystem service payment.

The national stewardship scheme would first be piloted in the Canberra region with a preliminary project focusing on water quality and remnant vegetation.

"We want to be able to reward farmers who enhance their land and water resources for the sake of the environment and the general public," Sam said.

"As farmers, we aspire to leave a softer footprint on the environment yet still remain profitable."

Overseas inspiration

Part of Sam's inspiration comes from international schemes he studied after receiving a prestigious Nuffield Scholarship and travelling to Europe, North America and India for four months last year to look at land stewardship programs for farmers.

In the US, he found 300 farmers in New York City's catchment are paid $US7 million a year to manage their land to ensure nutrients and pathogens do not run into adjoining waterways.

In India, subsistence farmers are reaping financial benefits from planting Jatropha - an inedible shrub - on their marginal farmland in order to produce biodiesel and carbon credits.

And in the UK, farmers are receiving £UK450 per hectare each year by planting a pollen and nectar seed mix on their marginal land to increase bumble bee populations which are vital in delivering ecosystem benefits.

Winds of change emerging

Sam says the Australian Government is already starting to encourage environmental stewardship on farms, which is in stark contrast to 40 years ago when farmers like his grandfather were encouraged by the Government to clear the land.

At a state level, governments have introduced initiatives to protect bushland, whereby farmers receive financial incentives to permanently fence off and protect remnant vegetation on their land and, in turn, provide a company with environmental offsets for their proposed development.

Ironically the same farming land, which was cleared 40 years ago, is likely to be re-planted to trees in order to generate carbon credits under the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

If Sam's proposal comes to fruition, demand and support from the Australian public will drive the change in sustainable land management and food production.

"The bottom line is that consumers want our product to be 'clean and green' and Australian farmers are among the most capable in the world at meeting these expectations," he says.

"Australian farmers realise they have a duty of care to manage their land for future generations and take great pride in producing food that is clean and green for the current generation."