Fertilizer Australia’s annual two-day conference in Adelaide took its 220 participants on a deep dive into how to cultivate a sustainable future for the fertiliser industry.
A diverse range of speakers delivered market forecasts and commentary on greenhouse gas emissions from global nitrogen fertiliser manufacture and Australian agriculture before exploring new technologies, better farming practices and government policy settings to minimise emissions.
Fertilizer Australia executive manager Stephen Annells said delegate attendance was near record levels, and a packed audience in each session reflected the industry’s desire to understand future trends and opportunities, and how business and government can support its sustainability.
CRU’s nitrogen analyst Alex Amin set the scene with an overview of nitrogen supply, demand and pricing. Key take-outs included a further downside forecast for phosphate and potassium while predicting that nitrogen prices have found a floor.
His rationale included demand equalising with supply because fears about Russia-centric supply disruption have largely failed to materialise, and China is unlikely to impose stricter export barriers this year. He also predicted food security could become a future driver.
Incitec Pivot’s corporate sustainability manager Karen Durand said increasing nitrogen use efficiency through best practice management is critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She said switching to enhanced efficiency fertilisers containing nitrification inhibitors would be one of the easiest on-farm emission reduction opportunities.
“Farmers will get real, measurable GHG reductions quickly, and they are available now,” Ms Durand said.
Green hydrogen production was central to a presentation delivered jointly by Moree-based Sundown Pastoral CEO David Statham and Hiringa Energy managing director David Heard.
Sundown Pastoral Co recently made headlines with news that their commitment to a low carbon footprint, preferred by their European fashion industry clientele, has yielded a partnership with Hiringa Energy to construct and operate a renewable ammonia and green hydrogen production facility on their cotton ginning site near Moree.
Mr Statham described Sundown’s journey in measuring, reducing and verifying embedded emissions in their cotton, and outlined his motivations for investing to decarbonise key inputs. Hiringa’s Mr Heard provided an overview of the project and opportunities for replication and scale-up in other valleys.
Rob Norton, associate professor at the University of Melbourne and director of Norton Agronomic, said both industry and government have a range of levers to reduce emissions, including incentivising nitrification inhibitors and improving nutrient management for greater efficiency.
“We need to promote greater use of objective measures, such as soil and plant testing, to guide nutrient management,” Mr Norton said.
“Testing is the best way to identify the right fertiliser and application rate, which will be achieved by greater adoption of precision agriculture tools”.
Mr Norton also recommended that government support the local manufacture of nitrogen fertilisers with a low carbon footprint as an alternative to purchasing fertiliser from countries that emit higher emissions levels in their manufacturing process.
Day one drew to a close with a gala dinner at the Adelaide Oval where guest speaker Merv Hughes regaled guests with stories of his illustrious and often hilarious career in Australian cricket.
The conference wound up on day two after Fertilizer Australia’s Stephen Annells gave an insight into how his organisation manages fertiliser imports’ biosecurity while Tina Hutchinson, first assistant secretary at DAFF, said the department is currently consulting on refining, simplifying and modernising its existing non-organic fertiliser policy.
Guest speakers Paul Thompson, Mick Hay and James Findlay brought the conference to a close with their presentations on business leadership.
