Beef Sustainability Framework says carbon neutral target is what’s important

THE beef industry may not reach carbon neutrality by 2030, but it’s the target that is important.

Red meat goal: Natural disasters could derail specific targets for reducing carbon production.

THE beef industry may not reach carbon neutrality by 2030, but it’s the target that is important, says chair of the Beef Sustainability Framework, Tess Herbert.

Ms Herbert made the claim at the ABARES Outlook conference in Canberra last week.

Former Meat and Livestock Australia managing director Richard Norton in 2017 outlined the red meat sector’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2030, which has since been proven “possible” in a CSIRO study.

However, Ms Herbert said “the most important thing about that target is the trend”.

“Maybe we will get there, maybe not, but the most important thing is that we try and we make incremental improvements toward that target,” she said.

Ms Herbert said drought or “massive disasters” such as the recent floods in Queensland, where up to 500,000 cattle were wiped out after 2000mm of rain fell around the Townsville region over a 12-day period, would affect the target.

“(We) must have targets, we may fall short, but I honestly believe we are better off having a target than none,” Ms Herbert said.

“There are a number of pathways to get to carbon neutrality by 2030 and industry is exploring all of them at the moment through research and development.

“If it reaches the stage where it’s at marketing I would see that as success,” Ms Herbert told the conference.

Ms Herbert said carbon neutrality would not be reached by any one thing, rather a combination of measures.