Carbon Farming Workshops
DPIRD's Carbon Farming team offers workshops and webinars for farmers and other landowners. Join us to learn about planning a carbon farming project or preparing an application for the Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program. To register, visit the Carbon Farming Workshops page for details.
Seek Advice
Always seek independent financial, business and legal advice when considering establishing a carbon farming project. This represents a long term investment and needs to fit with your overall business plan.
DPIRD has compiled a non-exhaustive Service Provider Directory of independent consultants with expertise in carbon farming, agribusiness and environmental/ecological matters. Providers wishing to be considered for the directory should complete this webform.
Planning the Project
To begin your carbon farming journey, the Key Steps - Establishing a Carbon Farming Project should be your first step. This document outlines the key stages; factors to consider along the way; carbon estimation and feasibility; and compliance obligations. It will also help you ask the right questions w
The ACCU Scheme website explains the different project types, how to register with the Clean Energy Regulator, eligibility requirements and delivery, reporting and permanence requirements.
LOOC-C, Agriculture Stewardship and FullCAM can estimate the potential carbon sequestered by different project methods. You should engage a consultant to conduct an independent assessment before making a final investment decision.
DPIRD's costings calculator has common budget items and expenses to help you plan your project. This is a general guide, and you will need to seek quotes for your final decision making.
More useful planning tools are located under the General Resources heading below:
Guidance and Factsheets
The Carbon Farming Plan Guidance gives background to creating a Carbon Farming Plan specific to your property.
Reforestation projects:
- GUIDANCE: Carbon Farming Plan - Reforestaton
- FACTSHEET: Planning a Reforestation project
- FACTSHEET: Agroforestry factsheet - Plantation method vs New Farm Forestry method
Soil carbon projects:
- GUIDANCE: Carbon Farming Plan - Soil Carbon
- FACTSHEET: Soil Carbon Measurement and Analysis
General Resources
Understanding the baseline emissions for your business is an important consideration, regardless of whether or not you want to do a carbon farming project. Refer to DPIRD's "How to calculate the carbon emissions from your own farm business" and view examples of carbon accounts calculated for different farming enterprises.
GrainGrowers produces the Carbon and Cropping Report and Agrifutures Australia's Carbon Decision Tool can assist landholders understand which opportunities may suit them. Agrifutures and Carbon Count have also produced "A farmer's handbook to on-farm carbon management"
The South West Timber Hub has a handy calculator called Decision Tree which allows you to assess if trees are a viable option based on the information you provide. It takes into account location, rainfall, soil type, land value and other crop/production options.
CSIRO hosts the Digiscape Future Science Platform which includes a biodiversity co-benefits calculator, links to Australia's digital soil map and other carbon faming related information on the LOOC-C page.
Emeritus Professor Lynette Abbott has condensed more than five decades of soil biological health research into a free SOILHEALTH app. It has essential information about soil health presented in a simple digital format.