Identifying and Reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions in Horticulture (HortCarbon Info)

Abstract

A Web Tool (HortCarbon Info) has been developed to enable growers of Horticultural crops to calculate their Carbon Footprint.
Electricity used for irrigation and refrigeration to cool produce, Fuel used in farming operations, Nitrogenous Fertilizers and Crop Residues are the major on-farm contributors to GHG emissions in Horticulture.
Greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacture and transport of inputs for horticultural production are not included in this Web Tool. Nor are the emissions associated with transport and marketing of horticultural crops which are sold through wholesale and retail outlets. They are not under the control of the farm business manager, so cannot be modified easily. A Life Cycle Analysis needs to be undertaken to account for the emissions from these off-farm sources A range of potential management decisions can and are being used by horticultural businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from horticultural production systems.
HortCarbon Info contains additional information to assist in the understanding of GHG emissions, and how these might be reduced or mitigated, and to explain some of the uncertainties associated with calculating and reducing emissions.