Regen Ag Series #1: Mark Wootton on carbon-neutral farming at Jigsaw Farms

Mark Wootton is well-known in the Australian agriculture industry as a pioneer in carbon-neutral farming. In 2011, Jigsaw Farms, his family property in south-west Victoria, achieved carbon neutrality - undergoing a process he openly admits was at the time, both “arduous and not necessarily commercially rewarding”.Yet, Mark and his wife Eve Kantor operate a very successful mixed grazing farm where they run 20,000 sheep for fine wool and prime lamb as well as 500 cows. The farm also incorporates a 600 hectare hardwood timber plantation and indigenous plantings for biodiversity.Mark was instrumental in the creation of the Climate Institute - a not-for-profit focused on climate science and policy in Australia. He remains a champion of finding new ways to lower methane emissions on farms - through both feed efficiencies and new technologies.His latest venture is a “Super Ewe” - where he’s using genetics to create a dual purpose sheep through focusing on muscle and fat in the selection process.In this episode Mark Wootton shares his insights on:Using Sheep Freeze Brand (liquid nitrogen) as an alternative to mulesing.Turning sustainable agriculture practices into a driver for productivity and profits.The importance of flexibility in farming operations.Finding the right times to make big decisions for your business.Want to know more? Check out our blog and additional resources from the episode on our website.