Farm Business Survey 2021-22: Farm level emissions and nitrogen usage

Farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

Absolute gross GHG emissions (tonnes CO2 equivalent per hectare)

Absolute emissions measure the GHG emissions from a unit area of agriculture land (hectare).

Absolute GHG emissions remain stable for the average farm, as shown in Figure 1. Average farm emissions were estimated at 4.3 tonnes CO2 equivalent per hectare in 2021-22.

Figure 1: Average farm absolute GHG emissions per hectare, 2019-20 to 2021-22. Error bars demonstrate the spread of data from the lower to upper quartile.

Average absolute emissions have been stable for most farm types over the last three years.

For an average cereal farm absolute emissions increased 16% in 2021-22 following a lower estimate in 2020-21.

Average absolute emissions for general cropping farms decreased 15% compared to previous years.

Emissions intensity (kg CO2 equivalent per kg of output)

Emissions intensity measures the carbon footprint of a unit of product up to the farm gate. It includes all types of farm product.

Average emission intensity increased to its highest estimate over the last three years, as shown in Figure 2. In 2021-22, emission intensity for the average farm was estimated at 9.3 kg CO2 equivalent per kg of output.

Figure 2: Average farm emission intensity from GHG, 2019-20 to 2021-22. Error bars demonstrate the spread of data from the lower to upper quartile.

A decrease in emission intensity for the average farm in 2020-21 was largely driven by increased output from crops on cattle and sheep farms. Average emission intensity has been relatively stable for most other farm types over the last three years.

Our visual summary provides an overview of average greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen use by farm type.