Digging into soil carbon with Dr Jacqueline Rowarth | Ep. 27

Talking Dairy

It’s no secret that soil carbon levels on New Zealand farms are among the highest in the world. So, why aren’t dairy farmers being rewarded for it? Also, is it worth trying to increase your soil carbon stocks, if so, how, and what’s the best way to measure it on your farm? To answer those questions on this episode is Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, Adjunct Professor at Lincoln University, and a farmer-elected director of DairyNZ and Ravensdown. Jacqueline’s been deep into this topic for many years and she’s passionate about helping farmers get their heads around it.
Chapters:
0.48 - What is soil carbon and why is it important?
2.20 - How do soil carbon levels in NZ compare to other countries?
6.01 - Carbon captured in pasture - how does that process work?
8.25 - How are farmers in other countries being rewarded for soil carbon?
13.05 - Why aren’t NZ dairy farmers getting the same rewards?
14.52 - Management practices to maintain, or even increase, soil carbon stocks
18.43 - The effect the age and stage of soil has on soil carbon
21.09 - Soil carbon varying across a farm and even within a paddock
24.11 - How to measure carbon in your soil, and the change in those levels
27.19 - Details of the new study to monitor and measure carbon in soil at a national level
28.52 - What does this all mean for farmers, and what should they be doing?