At a glance
Who:
Hugh Drum
What:
Primarily cultivating wheat, canola, lentils, and also engaging in carbon farming
Where:
Beverly Foods, Wimmera, Victoria
Can you tell us about your property/enterprise?
I currently serve as the farm manager on a property where we focus on canola, wheat, and lentil cultivation. Over the years, we've been committed to sustainable farming practices, optimising crop yields, and prioritising soil health. In addition to our primary farming activities, we've embarked on a side project called 'Beverly Foods.'
Here, we've ventured into selling lentil burgers in the Sydney market through virtual integration. What's fascinating about this endeavour is our aim to generate revenue and carbon credits from lentil production. For every lentil burger we sell, we earn a carbon credit, and we get an additional credit for reducing beef burger consumption, resulting in two credits for every lentil burger sold.
While our core business centres around carbon-neutral food, carbon credits serve as the icing on the cake.
What are some of the opportunities you see for your business/property in coming years?
I'm committed to realising the full potential of the carbon credits we generate. Currently, we're selling these credits on the international market, but my hope is for the Australian market to align with global standards. I envision significant growth in the Australian carbon credit market, offering farms like mine the deserved value for producing carbon-neutral food.
And what are your main challenges now, and into the future?
At present, my primary challenge is navigating the market. Convincing the market to pay for carbon-neutral food production is no small feat.
I took over my family's farm in the early 2000s, during a challenging period marked by severe droughts. This experience drove me towards agricultural research, with a particular passion for soil science that I continue to pursue.
How has climate change impacted your farm business?
Climate change has had a profound impact, particularly when I was managing my family farm during the early 2000s droughts. Ensuring the farm's resilience against future climate-related challenges has become increasingly expensive, straining our resources.
Want to be a farmer in focus?
