Contexte

Actual individual net farm GHG footprints are currently unknown as most current methodologies calculate gross GHG footprints for farm enterprises & do not accurately assess on farm carbon stocks and their potential for annual carbon sequestration.  In addition, Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) calculators focus mainly on enterprises, and not on a whole farm basis. 

This project addresses these issues by focussing on producing an accurate, individual, whole farm carbon balance sheet, through the precise measurement of the on-farm carbon stocks within soils and in trees and hedges. The carbon stocks will be combined with the results of the farm having been put through a whole business LCA calculator, within the 1st three months of the project, to allow an accurate creation of a base-line GHG position. 

This project will empower the participating farmers to change their behaviour to accelerate their farm's progress to carbon zero by bringing transparency to their current footprint, showing them where the low hanging fruit are, and indicating, through one-on-one training, potential solutions to help them make that positive change.  At the end of the project, each farm will be put through the LCA, for a second time, to measure any changes that have taken place. 

This project intends to be a pilot for Northern Ireland, showing how empowering farmers with pertinent accurate information for their own farm, carbon performance over a range of farms (dairy, beef and lamb) can be improved, across Northern Ireland.