“Scientific” Propaganda

The propaganda campaign against soil carbon’s suitability to be traded by Australian farmers has been widespread and well-organised. It has been led by two premier research bodies: the CSIRO and the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC). The campaign involved several instances of unsound science and the manufacture of ‘scientific facts’, unusual behaviour for such august bodies but a reflection of the level of anxiety felt in official circles.
The fact that there has been (and continues to be) a campaign was denied by the GRDC in a Senate Standing Committee hearing. The evidence in the Corporation’s publishing record suggests otherwise. Six articles in the newspaper Ground Cover since July 2007 have focussed on a negative portrayal of the prospects for trading soil carbon offsets. A similar list of press releases carry the same messages. Seminar speakers were selected for their negative stance on the issue. And the GRDC is believed to have funded the “Soil Carbon Mythbusters” seminar series in three States which were aimed at undermining support for the soil carbon trading campaign.
Not one mention of the benefits of such trade or market-based incentives that could help farmers offset their emissions can be found throughout the entire output from the Corporation. The advice given to its constituents lacks balance, at the least.
The GRDC launched a “research paper” by Alan Umbers, Manager of the GRDC Farming Practices For Sustainability project on July 10th 2007. “Given the age and degraded nature of Australian cropping soils and the ‘natural’ low levels of organic carbon, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that there is a real possibility that organic carbon levels can be increased by cropping or farming practices at anything other than slow rates...”* Mr Umbers was toured around Australia, presenting the report’s conclusions at events such as the GRDC-supported 2008 WA Agribusiness Crop Updates, (reported in May 2008) and appearing on ABC Rural Radio and in submissions to the Garnaut Inquiry. (Mr Umbers’s statement is not supported by any scientist on record. Professor Alex McBratney says soil age has no bearing on its sequestration potential. Dr YN Chan says we can put back all the carbon lost, on average 25tonnes per hectare.)
But Alan Umbers was presented as a rogue operator, running his own campaign, according to the GRDC: “…that can be attributed to a fellow who was doing some consultancy work, which was tied to the GRDC, and that was probably taken out of context in the way in which he spoke. He spoke with his personal opinions at the time. I am referring to Alan Umbers, if that is the article you are referring to. It is certainly not the view of GRDC…” (Keith Perrett, Chair, GRDC)**
Mr Umbers has had carriage of the GRDC’s Climate Change issues management, it seems, since the launch of the paper, and as late as April 2009 was actively engaged in the role. More than just ‘some fellow doing consultancy work voicing his own opinions’ Umbers is the most senior executive with carriage of Climate Change issues within GRDC and his comments reflect the opinions expressed in every public communication on the matter issued by the Corporation. He is currently (June 2010) Acting Executive Officer of the Grains Council of Australia.

* “Carbon in Australian Cropping Soils: A background paper prepared by Alan Umbers For the Grains Council of Australia.” July 10th 2007
**STANDING COMMITTEE ON RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT, AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY PORTFOLIO - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Senate-Monday, 20 October 2008