Organic beef has experienced significant growth over the past 20 years due to consumer demand, creating an important opportunity for Australian producers to add value to their operations.
But the organic beef sector has also helped create a path for producers towards carbon farming through recording and accreditation methods.
Arcadian Organic Meat is a leader on this path, working with its producers to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU).
Paul da Silva from Arcadia sees "enormous potential" for producers to add value to their operation through managing carbon.
"If you can get your cattle, the same number of cattle, to reach the same point that they originally on market in less time, then the animals will produce less emissions - it is like taking a car and travelling the some number of kilometres without using as much fuel," he told a seminar at Beef Australia.
Mr da Silva said ACCUs can be treated much the same as shares, with producers able to hold onto them to offset their business in the future, or sell them off.
"Leading industry analyst RepuTex recently forecast the value of ACCUs may increase at a rate of 12.5 per cent annually. ACCUs have increased 11pc already this year.
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Mr da Silva said the earlier producers are able to implement some sort of compliance system and take advantage of the opportunity to generate carbon credits, the better.
This was not only for the added consumer marketing opportunities, but also because other regions, such as parts of Europe, were making carbon management compulsory.
Meat & Livestock Australia's Sustainability Innovation manager Doug McNicholl said consumers were looking to businesses and brands to demonstrate environmental stewardship credentials.
"The Australian beef industry is well positioned to meet this growing desire through adoption of technologies and practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a way that promotes long-term productivity and profitability," he said.
Mr McNicholl said reaching the beef industry's Carbon Neutral 2030 target would require evidence based industry government policy.
"There's a strong debate about whether the government provides leadership and what is the government doing/what's the government policy," he said.
"But bare in mind those of us who deal with trade negotiations are seeing it is actually industry, and the businesses that we deal with and their policy position are determined by investment appetite, what people are willing to pay and ultimately what will get them access to the customer in the future."