Clean Energy Future

Carbon Farming Futures

Download Carbon farming futures factsheet

The Carbon Farming Futures program is part of the Land Sector Package under the Australian Governments’ clean energy future plan. The Carbon Farming Futures program will deliver $429 million over six years to help farmers and land managers benefit from carbon farming.

Together with the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI), this program will provide new economic opportunities for farmers and land managers who take steps to lower greenhouse gas emissions and store carbon in the landscape.

Farmers will be able to access direct support through the Carbon Farming Futures program to demonstrate new and innovative practices that can reduce emissions and store carbon while improving the sustainability and productivity of their business.

Carbon Farming

The CFI is a carbon offsets scheme that will enable farmers and other land managers to access carbon markets. Farmers and land managers will be able to generate carbon credits for taking action to reduce emissions and store carbon. These credits can be sold to other businesses and individuals wanting to offset their carbon pollution.

The Carbon Farming Futures program complements the CFI by funding research, development and

on-ground demonstration of innovative ways of reducing emissions and storing carbon while improving farm sustainability. The program will also support extension and outreach activities to help farmers and land managers benefit from carbon farming.

Extending the benefits of carbon farming

The Carbon Farming Futures program has four components, which will be delivered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.

Filling the Research Gap ($201 million)

The government will invest in new and innovative ways for Australian land managers to reduce emissions or store carbon. This will include funding to engage scientists and independent experts to investigate ways of improving soil carbon.

The fund will target emerging technologies and innovative management practices by engaging more scientists and independent experts to improve soil carbon, reduce emissions from livestock and crops, and enhance sustainable agriculture practices.

Surveys of common practice in agricultural industries across different regions will be undertaken to help identify activities that go beyond common practice and could be eligible for credits under the CFI, and to target research to where it will be most effective.

Converting research into methodologies ($20 million)

This research will be converted into estimation methodologies for use in the CFI. This will include the development of practical, low cost estimation and reporting tools for farmers and land managers that store or reduce carbon across various landscapes and production zones.

Action on the Ground ($99 million)

New research findings will be tested and demonstrated on-farm, ensuring that laboratory results can be replicated in real farming situations. Regional land managers and research, industry and farming organisations will be able to access grants to implement innovative management practices to reduce emissions and store carbon, including demonstrating new ways of increasing soil carbon.

This measure includes support for conservation tillage farming. Farmers will be able to claim a 15 per cent refundable tax offset for new eligible conservation tillage equipment installed and ready for use between

1 July 2012 and 30 June 2015. Participants in the scheme will have to assist in soil carbon research.

Extension and Outreach ($64 million)

The program will enable information and support to be provided directly to land managers to help them integrate emissions abatement and carbon management into land and farm planning. The program will fund additional extension officers. Funding will also be available for a range of extension and outreach activities, including workshops and field days, to be delivered through existing extension networks across Australia.