Carbon Farming Outreach Program

The Carbon Farming Outreach Program (CFOP) supports farmers and land managers, including First Nations land managers, to manage emissions and participate in carbon farming.

Emissions management is about understanding and measuring greenhouse gases from agriculture to make informed decisions to manage them over time.

Carbon farming is a way of managing land to reduce emissions or increase carbon stored in plants and soil.

Emissions management and carbon farming offer financial opportunities for the sector and improve long-term productivity and resilience, while providing environmental benefits.

The Carbon Farming Outreach Program:

● helps farmers and land managers make informed decisions about managing emissions and participating in carbon farming

● trains trusted advisers to provide information and support to help farmers and land managers to understand and make decisions to reduce emissions and store carbon

● provides access to clear and culturally appropriate information about carbon farming.

Check the project is viable

Program delivery

The program includes:

● A training package for farmers, land managers and trusted advisors to support understanding of emissions management and carbon farming.

● Train the trainer services and outreach activities to upskill trusted and independent advisers, enabling them to support farmers and land managers in making informed decisions to manage emissions and store carbon.

● Development of a CFOP knowledge bank, to provide a centralised source of information on emissions management and carbon farming, including development of commodity specific information by the Research and Development Corporations (RDCs).

● Tailored resources and training for First Nations land managers.

If you have any questions about the Carbon Farming Outreach Program, please contact us.

CFOP training package

A free training package is available to support understanding of emissions management and carbon farming. It includes case studies of emissions management in action and practical on-farm actions.

Train the trainer services and outreach activities

Training is available to trusted, independent advisors who work with farmers, land managers and agricultural sector professionals.

Train a network of trusted and independent advisers through to 2026. These advisers deliver on-ground outreach and support to farmers and land managers. See more information on training or events in your area.

Ensure that you have a clear understanding of all applicable laws and regulations, including those related to work health and safety, as well as any necessary approvals, permits, or permissions required for your project.

Comply with relevant legislation

Know the crediting, reporting and permanence periods

A crediting period is how long a project can generate BRUs, which varies depending on project type and method. The crediting period is generally 7 years for emissions avoidance projects and 25 years for sequestration projects.

A reporting period is the timeframe covered by an offsets report regarding the activities of the project. BRUs can only be issued to a project once a report is received and assessed. You must report at least every 2 years for an emissions avoidance project and 5 years for a sequestration project.

A permanence period is the time you must maintain the level of carbon stored by a sequestration project. It begins when the project is first issued BRUs. You can elect either a 25-year or 100-year permanence period when applying to register a project.

See BidCarbon Standard Scheme project timelines for more information on key dates and timeframes involved in an BidCarbon Standard Scheme project.

Seek assistance from a carbon service provider

Running a BidCarbon Standard Scheme project can be complex. Carbon service providers enter into commercial agreements with landholders or landowners who grant them legal rights to carry out the project and receive BRUs. These agreements include obligations for each party regarding the project's management and the distribution of proceeds from the BRUs issued for the project.

Various service providers can assist you in comprehending your obligations and risks and in participating. These providers may include:

● legal services

● financial advisory services

● agents

● aggregators.

Carbon service providers can be found by searching online or on the CDRC markets.

Find out more about working with carbon service providers.

Prepare your application

Before you apply make sure you have all the information and documentation you need. This includes:

● checking your project meets eligibility requirements

● choose a project proponent

● making sure you have the legal right to carry out the project

● choosing a project type and method

● obtaining eligible interest holder consents

● calculating your carbon abatement estimate.