Reframing Sustainability: From Big Ideas to On-Farm Efficiency

Sustainability isn’t just about carbon offsets, biodiversity credits or planting trees - those projects are important, but they’re not where it starts. 

That was the message from NSW Sheep Producer and Sheep Producers Australia Policy Council Member Luke Dunn at the MLA Sustainability Roundtable in Brisbane Queensland recently. 

He joined about 40 others including scientists, livestock peak industry body representatives, researchers and policy makers to delve into sustainability in the livestock sector. 

Luke’s was tasked with sharing a producer’s opinion. 

“I spoke to a lot of producers before the Roundtable,” he said. “When you ask about sustainability, they often jump straight to the big green ideas - offsets, in-setting, regenerative agriculture. But for most businesses, the real gains come from improving how we operate day-to-day.” 

Luke wanted the industry to speak directly to the ‘middle of the pack’- the 50th-percentile producer who isn’t yet picking up every new extension program or technology. 

“There’s a lot already available that lifts productivity- better genetics, grazing management, data tools- and that makes businesses both more profitable and better for the environment,” he said. “We need to keep the focus at producer level, because that’s where change really sticks.” 

His core message was simple: “Sustainability isn’t just about what we measure - it’s about what we reward. If we reward efficiency, we’ll get resilience.” 

By reframing sustainability around practical, efficient farming, Luke hopes to bridge the gap between bold national targets and everyday decisions in the paddock.