Western Australian Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program

Deadline: 2-Dec-22

The Government of Western Australia is seeking applications for its Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program (CF-LRP) to realise agriculture’s potential to sequester carbon in the landscape and contribute to growing the WA carbon market.

The program will increase the uptake of carbon farming projects, enhance the long-term productivity of agriculture, and deliver environmental, social, and economic co-benefits.

Funding decisions for ACCU Plus projects will be made according to the following investment principles:

Maintain the integrity of farming communities and the WA agricultural industry
Improve participant knowledge and capability, particularly small to medium farm enterprises and larger businesses yet to engage with carbon markets
Deliver market diversity, including geographic, project (i.e., carbon sequestration methodologies, type of co-benefits) and participant diversity
Fund projects that are additional to existing business operations (i.e., would not have occurred without State Government financial support).

Types of ACCU Plus projects

ACCU Plus carbon farming projects must be located within the South West Land Division (Map 1), with funding split between two categories:
- ACCU Plus A: Registered Emissions Reduction Fund soil carbon projects in areas with an average rainfall above 350 mm (May – October 2000-2020) and Emissions Reduction Fund registered vegetation projects located within the South West Land Division.
- ACCU Plus B: Registered Emissions Reduction Fund soil carbon projects in an area with an annual average rainfall below 350mm (May – October 2000-2020) located within the South West Land Division.

Co-Benefits

Biodiversity and conservation co-benefits
Agricultural productivity co-benefits
Soil health co-benefits
Salinity mitigation co-benefits
Aboriginal economic and cultural co-benefits

Funding Information

Tier 1: up to $100,000
Tier 2: between $100,001 to $250,000
Tier 3: over $250,000

Eligibility Criteria

The following businesses are eligible to apply for CF-LRP funding:
- Commercial farm property owners including sole traders, trading partnerships, companies and trading trusts operating as a primary producer
- Entities undertaking a project under commercial arrangements with the owner/s of a farm property or properties, including:
  - Community groups such as landcare groups, Land Conservation District Committees and natural resource management groups
  - Industry sector and grower groups
  - Local Government Authorities
  - Carbon service providers
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community organisations including Registered Native Title Bodies Corporate
Applicants will not be eligible for funding if they are:
- A Commonwealth, State, or Territory agency or body (including government business enterprises)
- A resident/organisation based outside of Australia
- An unincorporated association.
To be eligible:
- You must be the person or party with the legal right to carry out and control the project
- The property must be predominantly used for agricultural purposes i.e., under the state’s applicable planning laws, most of the land is zoned for agricultural land uses and, at the time of application, used to operate a commercial agricultural enterprise
- You need to have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered for GST
- If your business or entity has been established for two or more years, you need to provide at least two years of audited financial statements AND a statement of viability from the Chief Financial Officer or your accountant
- If your business or entity has been established for less than two years, you need to provide a statement of viability from the Chief Financial Officer or your accountant and any available financial records
- You and/or the organisation/directors/key personnel must be willing to undergo financial and other checks, as deemed reasonable by DPIRD. This may include a financial viability assessment for which you will receive a questionnaire from a thirdparty to assist in the completion of this assessment.
- You/your business must be one of the following entity types:
  - a sole trader
  - a partnership
  - a company incorporated in Australia
  - an incorporated association
  - a company incorporated by guarantee
  - an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
  - a joint (consortia) application with a lead organisation
  - a registered charity or not-for-profit organisation
  - a publicly funded research organisation or individual
  - an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006