About us

The Cool Soil Initiative is a paddock-to-product partnership led by Charles Sturt University.

It brings together farmers, researchers, and major players in the food supply chain to promote sustainable farming practices that enhance soil health, improve productivity, and measure on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Soil Challenges, Sustainable Answers

Major food companies like Mars and Kellanova are pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions, much of which stem from farming and transport.

The Cool Soil Initiative supports this goal by partnering with grain and corn growers in NSW and Victoria to improve soil health, increase yields, and reduce on-farm emissions. Through soil testing, tailored support, emissions reporting, and an Australian-adapted Cool Farm Tool, it helps build more resilient, sustainable farming systems.

Our Team

With passion, knowledge, and teamwork, the Cool Soil Initiative team is creating lasting change.

Director Cool Soil Initiative

Director Cool Soil Initiative

Matthew Muller

Business Manager

Business Manager

Greg Williams

Principal Scientist

Principal Scientist

Dr Cassandra Schefe

Senior Agronomist

Senior Agronomist

Harry Middlebrook

Soil Scientist

Soil Scientist

Sarah Fraser

Senior Business Analyst

Senior Business Analyst

Coming Soon

Partners and Technical Experts

The Cool Soil Initiative works with partners and technical experts to turn soil and crop data into climate-smart decisions for farmers.

Contact Us

Submit our enquiry form or email us at coolsoil@csu.edu.au.

Enquiry form

The Cool Soil Initiative is a paddock to product partnership. We work with farmers through regional farming systems groups (FSGs) to test and validate management practices which can then mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on-farm and support the ongoing sustainability, productivity, and profitability of farming enterprises.

Mars Petcare explains the Cool Soil Initiative

Working hand in hand with Aussie wheat farmers, this initiative will help farmers reduce their on-farm greenhouse gas emissions, all while protecting their most valuable asset - soil.

Our history

2018

Founding of the Initiative

The farming groups Riverine Plains Inc. and Central West Farming Systems partnered with Mars Petcare to develop the Cool Soil Initiative, to quantify greenhouse gas emissions from wheat production and identify avenues to support farmers in reducing emissions, with a focus on soil health.

The project was coordinated by soil scientist Dr Cassandra Schefe, with technical support provided by the Sustainable Food Lab, an international organisation with experience in supporting effective sustainability projects across supply chains.

2020

More partners join

The Cool Soil Initiative grew with more cereal processors – Kellogg’s, Manildra Group and Allied Pinnacle joining the project, in partnership with Charles Sturt University and the Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). The reach of farmer engagement also increased, with farming systems group FarmLink joining the program.

2021

Extension of the Initiative

The program expanded further into the irrigated cropping sector in the MIA, with IREC becoming a partner farmer group. While the emphasis of the program is still on wheat production, partnership with irrigation farmers provides an opportunity to work with other crops, such as corn. Corporate farms are also connecting with the project, significantly increasing the geographical footprint across the cropping sector.