We bring farmers and scientists together to increase soil carbon and reduce emissions for profitable and resilient farms.
SoilCQuest 2031 is a research institute of farmers, agricultural and soil scientists, agro-ecologists, agronomists, educators, and business, communication and extension specialists.
We are not-for-profit and for-impact, working to realise the carbon drawdown potential of agriculture.
Our multi-disciplinary Board, Research Committee, and staff have extensive experience across the agricultural industry, academia, business, community, and government.
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Bringing farmers
and scientists together
At SoilCQuest 2031, we believe soil carbon is a key metric of success for farm productivity and profitability.
We conduct on-farm research trials with growers to validate innovative climate-smart practices.
Our agricultural resources uncover how to grow soil carbon, and unpack farm emissions and carbon projects.
We are unapologetically ambitious to fulfil our quest for soil carbon sequestration, at speed, at scale.
Soil is our most important natural carbon sink
Soil plays a vital role in the global carbon cycle, storing around twice the amount of carbon than the atmosphere and three times that of vegetation. Small percentage changes in the soil organic carbon pool can significantly affect the global carbon cycle by changing the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Source
Global carbon storage in Gigatons (Gt)
Watch our story :
SoilCQuest presents Carbon Calling
Our Exemplar Farms program supports farmers who are developing innovative climate-smart practices.
We measure and validate these systems and practices through the three lenses of:
- economic viability
- soil carbon and emissions-reduction science
- adoptability
Our team works on the ground with landholders, understanding farm culture and the drivers and barriers to innovation.
Agriculture can be a Gigaton carbon drawdown industry
Shifting agricultural practices worldwide by 2050 would
For carbon drawdown to help reverse climate change, we need emissions reduction
“Drawdown” is the term used to describe the future point in time when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline. We cannot reach Drawdown without simultaneously reducing emissions toward zero and supporting nature’s carbon sinks to sequester or drawdown carbon from our atmosphere.
Reaching “Drawdown”
Farmers we work with
Mick Wettenhall
Weemabah Trangie, NSW
Broad-acre cropping and grazing Trangie, Western Plains NSW Average rainfall 468mm
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Mick’s current methods include applying fungal-rich liquid compost extract, cover cropping, and multi-species companion planting. These approaches aim to improve soil health, fertility and water holding capacity, increase resilience to pests and diseases, decrease weed pressure, and reduce reliance on harsh agricultural chemicals.
Grant Sims
Pine Grove, VIC
No-till Producer, North Central VIC, Average rainfall 450mm
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Mick’s current methods include applying fungal-rich liquid compost extract, cover cropping, and multi-species companion planting. These approaches aim to improve soil health, fertility and water holding capacity, increase resilience to pests and diseases, decrease weed pressure, and reduce reliance on harsh agricultural chemicals.
Stuart McDonald
Canowindra, NSW
Broad-acre cropping, merino sheep and Illawarra dairy cows Canowindra, Central NSW
Average rainfall 602mm
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In 2020, Stuart transitioned the family farm to a zero-till approach as a way of helping maintain ground cover. Canowindra experiences a non-seasonal distribution of rainfall, so making the most of the rain available is vital to extending the growing season of his crops. Stuart selects varieties based on their suitability for the rain’s timing, and is currently experimenting with summer cover crops and different companion planting combinations.
Steve Nicholson
Forbes, NSW
Broad-acre cropping and grazing, Forbes, Central West NSW
Average rainfall 426mm
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Steve and his wife bought their property 22 years ago and now run a successful farm business with their two sons. They own and lease 3,500ha and grow wheat, barley, canola and occasionally legumes, long-term perennial pastures, and have 4,000 head of merino sheep.
Steve’s background as an Agronomist means he has a thorough understanding of agricultural science and knows that healthy soils are everything. A long-standing focus on improving soil health and structure since the Millennial Drought meant that Steve’s farm continued to be profitable throughout the tough seasons we’ve had since.
Steve does not believe in relying on a perfect year but instead depends on ensuring his farm is resilient enough to withstand unpredictable but inevitable harsh weather events. His approach involves a balanced strategy for managing the land, using groundcover methods and good chemical applications that don’t destroy the soil.
Wood Family
Manildra, NSW
Grant and Carmen, Luke and Belinda, Alex and Kate Manildra, Central West NSW
Average rainfall 625mm 1740 Ha (owned/leased/share-farmed)
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Wheat, barley, oats, canola, chickpeas, sorghum, Angus cows and Merino 1st cross ewes.
The Wood Family has been in the Manildra district for 20 years, moving from the Blayney area in 2001. Their focus is on improving soil health through zero till and CTF on 9m. A diverse rotation of cash and grazing crops and livestock are integral to the ongoing goal of increasing soil organic carbon and decreasing bulk density. Shifting soil characteristics in that direction will help to bolster the resilience of the overall business.
With a background in Agronomy, Luke and Alex are proactive in trying new ideas and technology to improve their farming system. The Woods family strive to reduce synthetic inputs, particularly fungicides and insecticides, to allow beneficial soil biology to express.
Agriculture has the greatest carbon drawdown potential
Shifting our agricultural practices could sequester the most amount of greenhouse gases globally by 2050, by supporting our natural carbon sinks of soil and vegetation.
Shifting agricultural practices could sequester the most Gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050
Our story
SoilCQuest Director and Founder Mick Wettenhall, Professor Peter McGee of the University of Sydney and SoilCQuest Founder and Chair Guy Webb, near Forbes, NSW
Founded in 2012 by Guy Webb, Mick Wettenhall and Mark Shortis, SoilCQuest 2031 was established to develop a microbial inoculum from a carbon-capturing fungus discovered in our soils. This discovery that melanised endophytic fungus sequesters long-lasting soil organic carbon around plant roots was made by Professor Peter McGee of the University of Sydney.
SoilCQuest became a CSIRO Approved Research Institute in 2015.
When he retired, Professor McGee generously gave his soil fungi library to SoilCQuest for their research into developing the microbial inoculum, which included a comprehensive pot trial at the NSW Department of Primary Industries Orange facility, numerous small-scale pot experiments and 10 field trials, including small plot and strip trials. When inoculated onto the roots of crops via a seed dressing, this microbial inoculum draws down atmospheric carbon. It is a practical and scalable technology for farmers to increase their soil carbon.
With promising results from these research trials, in 2019 Guy Webb and Mick Wettenhall raised investment for this technology and formed Loam Bio with Guy Hudson, Tegan Nock and Frank Oly. Loam Bio is a global commercial enterprise at the intersection of agriculture, climate change, and microbes. By developing these technologies, Loam Bio puts agriculture at the forefront of improving soils and our climate.
SoilCQuest continues as an approved research institute and a major shareholder in Loam Bio.
Support Our Work
SoilCQuest is an independent, for purpose, not-for-profit organisation bringing farmers and scientists together to increase soil carbon and reduce emissions for profitable and resilient farms. Your donation will support our research endeavours, enabling us to champion farming as a solution to climate impact through initiatives, including our Carbon Farmscapes Program.
Gifts made to SoilCQuest are tax deductible.
