The Australian Government has today announced the first round of its A$99 million ‘Action on the Ground’ program to support farmers as they adjust to Australia’s new carbon tax regime.

Action on the Ground is funding farmers over the next six years to trial and demonstrate on-farm practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as methane and nitrous oxide or increase soil carbon. The program is a part of the Carbon Farming Futures Fund under the government’s A$1.7 billion Land Sector Package.

The first funding round of competitive grants will commit up to A$25 million between now and 2015.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig said today, “Action on the Ground will provide farmers with support as they help Australia meet its emission reduction targets.”

Funding can be used to help reduce methane emissions from farmed animals and their waste; improve fertiliser use to reduce nitrous oxide emissions; and the planting and rotation of crops and grazing practices to reduce emissions from soils or increase carbon stored in soil.

“Anyone interested in reducing on-farm greenhouse gas emission from the agricultural sector or increasing carbon stored in soils should make the most of this funding opportunity,” Senator Ludwig said.

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