Smithfield Cattle Company Soil Carbon Project (Revoked)

The Smithfield Cattle Company Soil Carbon Project (Revoked) was a soil carbon sequestration initiative primarily located across two distinct cattle feedlot and grazing properties in southern Queensland. The project area covered approximately 6,495 hectares. The first site was situated at the Smithfield Feedlot, roughly 5km west of Proston in the South Burnett region, while the second site was located at the Sapphire Feedlot, approximately 35km east of Goondiwindi along the Dumaresq River.

Registered in March 2023 and subsequently revoked in September 2025, the project operated under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models methodology. This method requires landholders to establish a baseline of soil carbon levels and then implement new management activities to increase those levels over time. Smithfield Farming Pty Ltd, the proponent, aimed to achieve this by applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies and by altering grazing stocking rates and intensity to improve soil health and vegetation cover.

The environmental context of the project sites varies, reflecting the diversity of Smithfield’s operations. The Proston site is located in the South Burnett region, an area characterized by sub-tropical climate conditions and "ticky" cattle country, typically supporting grazing and backgrounding on red volcanic or clay soils. The Sapphire site near Goondiwindi lies in the Border Rivers region, a semi-arid environment with alluvial soils suitable for irrigation and dryland farming. The project was revoked under Section 30 of the CFI Rule, which indicates a voluntary revocation by the proponent, potentially due to strategic operational changes or a shift in how the company manages its carbon footprint goals.