Carbon Accounting at the Farm Level: Scenarios to Achieving Net‐Zero Status

The global transition toward net‐zero agriculture requires robust, location‐specific carbon accounting systems at the farm level. This study examines greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on broadacre farms in Western Victoria, Australia, and a production and income analysis to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of various mitigation options at the farm level. Two calculators, the Greenhouse Accounting Framework (GAF) and the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), were used to collect data from eight mixed farms, and two scenarios were developed. The average emissions per sheep from MLA and GAF were 0.28 tCO 2 ‐e and 0.27 tCO 2 ‐e, respectively, and the profit per sheep of eight farms varied from AUD 146 to AUD 185, and per cattle from AUD 819 to AUD 1250. In general, enteric fermentation contributed 38%–84%, and manure management contributed 2%–5% of Scope 1 emissions. For Scope 3 emissions, from synthetic fertilizer use were the highest contributors to total emissions (up to 53%). In contrast, Scope 2 emissions from energy use contributed less to the total emissions (0%–1%). This study provides two farm management practices, including whole farm tree plantation and sheep stock reduction to achieve carbon neutrality at the farm level. However, this resulted in 20%–99% decrease in profitability, depending on the farm type and operation. Achieving net zero requires a higher carbon price of around AUD 250 to AUD 320 to offset this income loss. The study highlights a combined assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and the associated economic costs and benefits of different farm management practices in underpinning the shift of farmers toward carbon neutrality.