Joint media release with Minister for Agriculture Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie

A new guide offering 51 practical things Australian farmers can do to reduce on-farm energy use, operating costs and carbon emissions was released today.

With the current crippling drought putting significant financial and emotional strain on farming families across large parts of Australia the Morrison McCormack Government is focused on providing practical assistance.

Transforming Australian Agriculture with Clean Energy, provides advice around the likely cost of investing in technologies including energy storage, building insulation, pump upgrades, and solar PV to improve on-farm productivity and address environmental management challenges.

Australian agriculture is a $60 billion sector with many farm businesses heavily reliant on affordable and reliable energy in order to remain competitive.

Many farmers will be eligible to access $50 million in energy efficient communities program grants in early 2020 to help with the cost of improving energy efficiency practices and technologies in the ways outlined in the guide.' Up to $10 million has been allocated to eligible dairy farms in recognition of the impact high electricity costs have on a sector that must milk and then chill its product.'

Our Government also supports farmers and land managers to take practical action to reduce emissions and improve the environment through the Climate Solutions Fund. Landowners and farmers can generate Australian Carbon Credit Units which can be sold, providing an additional income stream. Over 770 projects have been registered under many eligible activities, including revegetation, livestock management and savanna fire management.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the National Farmers Federation partnered to develop the guide that was prepared by the Centre for Agricultural Engineering at the University of Southern Queensland.

A full copy of the guide is available at cefc.com.au.