McClelland Carbon Project

McClelland Carbon Project is an agriculture soil carbon project located in the Moira local government area, approximately 25km north-west of the major regional centre of Shepparton in northern Victoria. It was registered on 29 April 2022 and covers a project area of 122.58 hectares. The surrounding region is predominantly used for agricultural operations, including cropping, dairy farming, and livestock grazing. The local environment typically experiences moderate to semi-arid rainfall averaging around 480mm annually, and the regional soils are commonly fertile clay loams and alluvial deposits.

Projects under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models (2021) methodology aim to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by increasing carbon stored in agricultural soils. This requires landholders to undertake new or materially different management activities on eligible land. To verify sequestration, participants must rigorously measure the baseline and subsequent soil carbon levels through a combination of direct soil sampling and scientific modelling.

At this property, the proponent, Agriprove Solutions Pty Ltd, is utilising multiple approved management practices to build soil organic carbon. The project increases carbon in the agricultural system by applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilisers to address material soil deficiencies. Additionally, the land managers are retaining stubble after crop harvests and converting from intensive tillage practices to reduced or no-tillage systems. These combined activities serve to improve overall soil health, enhance water retention, and effectively sequester carbon over the project's 25-year crediting period.