Calm Your Farm, Ethical Lamb - Soil Carbon Project

Calm Your Farm, Ethical Lamb - Soil Carbon Project is an agricultural soil carbon project located in the Golden Plains Shire of Victoria, approximately 50km southwest of Ballarat. Registered in February 2024, the project covers a substantial area of 960 hectares near the localities of Cape Clear and Lismore. The project area lies within the Victorian Volcanic Plain, a region traditionally dominated by broadacre grazing (sheep and cattle) and cropping, characterized by its flat to undulating landscape and fertile basalt-derived clay soils.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon (Measurement and Models) methodology. This method credits farmers for increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks through changes in land management. Standard requirements involve establishing a baseline of SOC through soil core sampling, followed by the implementation of new activities, in this case, "applying nutrients" (fertiliser) to address soil deficiencies. As the proponent is Loam Carbon Pty Ltd, the project likely integrates Loam’s specialized fungal inoculum, CarbonBuilder, which is designed to coat seeds and work synergistically with nutrients to accelerate carbon sequestration in the soil.

The project appears to be associated with Leon Carter and Reanna Clayton, the founders of "Calm Your Farm," an educational platform and business dedicated to helping "tree-changers" and new farmers navigate the agricultural industry. While their educational work often focuses on smallholders, the 960-hectare scale of this project suggests a commercial grazing operation, potentially marketing its produce under the "Ethical Lamb" banner. The region typically receives reliable winter-dominant rainfall (approx. 600mm), supporting the high-density pasture growth required for intensive soil carbon sequestration. A project variation was noted in June 2024, where specific areas were removed from the project, a common occurrence as landholders refine their eligible carbon estimation areas.