Cook Government driving carbon farming in Western Australia

• $2.77 million available for carbon farming projects to help diversify farm income and generate carbon credits
• Carbon farming driving sustainable farming systems and environmental restoration  
• $3.8 million already distributed to WA carbon farming projects

The Cook Government is providing $2.77 million in funding to help future-proof Western Australia's vital agriculture industry through carbon farming.

Carbon farming refers to activities that sequester carbon and store it in trees and soil over the long term.

In WA carbon farming is an emerging industry with huge potential to make a positive difference in the face of climate change.

The latest round of funding from the Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program was announced today at the Nannup Truffle Farm, where a Cook Government-supported revegetation project is already underway.

In 2023, 16,500 local native eucalypt seedlings were planted on 10 hectares of degraded land to sequester carbon, while improving soil health and biodiversity.

The carbon farming project has also helped to reduce the risk of algal blooms in an adjacent dam used to irrigate the truffle orchard.

Fresh funding from the Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program is now available to farmers, the agroforestry industry, Aboriginal landowners and community and natural resource management organisations.

Indigenous landowners, ranger groups and service providers are encouraged to be involved as part of the program's commitment to economic and cultural co-benefits.

Submissions are also invited from agroforestry projects that contribute to the future of the State's timber supplies.

More than $3.8 million has already been invested by the Cook Government to support 16 soil and vegetation carbon farming projects since 2022.

These projects will not only generate carbon credits for the State but also landowners.

They aim to remove an estimated 660,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the next 25 years, equivalent to removing more than 25,000 cars off WA roads every year.  

In addition, more than 100 Carbon for Farmers Vouchers have been provided to helpfarmers develop carbon farming projects.

A series of workshops will be held in coming weeks to help landholders understand the benefits of carbon farming and prepare a funding application.

For more information and to apply to Round 3 of the Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program, visit http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/CF-LRP

Comments attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:

"It's great to see how the Nannup Truffle Farm has transformed its operations with the support of the Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program.

"Initiatives like this are not only helping farmers to restore the land but diversify their income by generating carbon credits.

"The Cook Government is committed to sustainability, supporting farmers and future-proofing WA's vital agriculture industry."

Comments attributed Warren-Blackwood MLA Jane Kelsbie:

"This is a win for WA farmers, it's a win for the State Government's decarbonisation strategy and it's a win for the environment.
"I particularly encourage Aboriginal landowners and ranger groups in the Warren-Blackwood electorate to attend the workshops in the coming weeks to see how you can benefit from this program."