Fife Carbon Project

Fife Carbon Project is a soil organic carbon sequestration project located in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, approximately 5 kilometers south of Numurkah and 25 kilometers north of Shepparton. Registered in August 2022 and covering roughly 174 hectares, the project is situated within a landscape renowned for intensive irrigated agriculture, including dairy, mixed cropping, and lucerne hay production.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, a framework that incentivizes landholders to store carbon in agricultural soils by adopting new land management activities. This specific methodology allows for a hybrid approach, using both physical soil sampling and modelled estimates to calculate carbon stocks, which can reduce the cost of measurement over time. To generate credits, the project must demonstrate a net increase in soil carbon relative to a baseline, achieved through changes in farming practices.

Environmentally, the region experiences a temperate to semi-arid climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 450-500mm, though agricultural output is often supported by the extensive Goulburn-Murray irrigation network. The local soil profile typically consists of red-brown earths and clay loams associated with the Riverine Plains, which are fertile but can benefit significantly from improved structure and biological activity.

A notable aspect of the Fife Carbon Project is its status as a flagship case study for the project developer, AgriProve. It has been highlighted as the first broadacre cropping operation in Australia to successfully be issued Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for soil carbon. Managed by the Felmingham family, the project challenges the traditional view that soil carbon is best suited only to grazing systems. The specific activities undertaken include the application of bio-stimulants and humates to address nutrient deficiencies, alongside a shift to reduced or no-tillage practices to minimize soil disturbance and encourage carbon retention.