The Carbon Farming Outreach Program (CFOP) supports Australian 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. These activities also support Australia’s transition to net zero emissions.
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.
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 advisors who can help Australian farmers and land managers make 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 at OnGroundEmissionsReduction@aff.gov.au.
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.
The training package was developed in partnership with:
- The University of Melbourne
- Indigenous Carbon Industry Network
- Indigenous Professional Services.
Train the trainer services and outreach activities
Training is available to trusted, independent advisors who work with farmers, land managers and agricultural sector professionals.
$17.5 million in funding was awarded to five organisations to train a network of trusted, independent advisers through to 2026. They deliver on-ground outreach and support to farmers and land managers. See more on training or events in your area.
From 2025 to 2028, additional training for trusted, independent advisors will be available through the Zero Net Emissions Agriculture Cooperative Research Centre.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) manages the outreach grants.
CFOP knowledge bank
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry will develop a centralised knowledge bank to provide practical information and tools, tailored to the needs of farmers, land managers and trusted advisers. It will incorporate existing training and new resources including commodity-specific information co-developed with the RDCs.
As a first step, $1.5 million in grants has been provided to the RDCs to determine information gaps related to emissions management, appropriate information formats, effective delivery channels and collaboration opportunities. The outcomes of this work will support the development of commodity-specific information for the knowledge bank.
Further information on the knowledge bank will be available in late 2025.
First Nations resources and training
DCCEEW is co-developing resources and training tailored for First Nations land managers with the Indigenous Carbon Industry Network (ICIN).
See more
- ACCU Scheme project register of carbon farming projects occurring around Australia.
- Future Drought Fund helps farmers and producers to plan, access climate tools, and share resilient farming practices.
- The Natural Heritage Trust’s (NHT) Climate-Smart Agriculture Program supports initiatives to drive agricultural sustainability, productivity and competitiveness with a focus on emissions reduction, climate resilience and biodiversity.
- DCCEEW’s policies and programs to reduce emissions in the agriculture and land sectors.