Carbon farming solutions for Australian farmers
A practical guide from Rabobank Australia to help farmers capture the carbon sequestration benefits of Environmental Plantings, drawing on discounted CEFC finance.
Carbon farming projects offer major benefits for farmers and landowners, from sequestering carbon, to introducing biodiversity, improving soil quality and generating Australian Carbon Credit Units. Rabobank Australia’s Environmental Plantings Explainer Guide shows how.
Co-benefits may include increasing shade and shelter, supporting animal welfare conditions, wind breaks for land and pasture protection, erosion protection for waterways, as well as biodiversity and nature restoration.Rabobank guide
Environmental Plantings Explainer Guide
February 2025
Produced by Rabobank Australia, with the support of the CEFC, the Environmental Plantings Explainer Guide shows how planting and maintaining mixed native vegetation can help cut emissions.
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about the industry
The key role of agriculture in achieving Australia’s net zero emissions by 2050
As much as 55 per cent of Australia’s land mass is agricultural land, with ABARES forecasting the value of production to reach ~$86 billion in 2024–25.
The CEFC invests alongside landowners to maximise the productive, sustainable use of our natural capital assets, while also bringing in new sources of capital across diverse agricultural and land use activities.
This includes our innovative $200 million investment with Rabobank Australia to help reduce the upfront costs for farmers undertaking Environmental Planting projects under the Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) Scheme.
As Australia’s leading food and agribusiness bank, we are focused on helping our clients to feed the world sustainably. It’s about supporting the innovative farmers and agribusinesses who put food on our tables every day, to grow more with less.Rabobank Australia
The CEFC investment aims to support eligible Rabobank customers to undertake Environmental Planting sequestration activities, which can provide a range of co-benefits for farmers in addition to creating high-quality ACCUs.
The CEFC investment has also supported Rabobank in providing a discount of one per cent on the Environmental Plantings Carbon Farming Loans, to help ease initial borrowing costs for eligible activities, including feasibility assessments and planting costs. Rabobank will contribute a further discount of up to 0.15 per cent for these loans. 1
1. CEFC media release:: Backing farmers, high quality carbon credits and positive environmental outcomes
About the report
Sequestering carbon via Environmental Planting projects
The Environment Plantings method under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme was updated in 2024, outlining the rules for crediting emission reductions to landholders who establish permanent (non-harvest) forest through planting a mixture of native species, or mallee trees.2
Proponents must demonstrate that the species they intend to plant, and their management approach, is likely to achieve and maintain forest cover, even with a changing climate.
Rabobank guide
The Rabobank guide provides farmers and landowners with high level guidance on how to create carbon farming projects with the potential to generate ACCUs under the revised methodology. Highlights include:
- A definition of an EP project and its potential benefits
- Steps to establish and operate an EP project
- How to register the EP project with the Clean Energy Regulator
- Auditing requirements
- Potential risks associated with weather and climate, planting and logistics
- Additional independent information sources
Find out more about the Rabobank discounted loan structure which aims to help ease initial borrowing costs for activities such as initial feasibility assessments, planting costs and reporting and audit expenses.3
2. DCCEEW web page: Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings
3; Rabobank media release: Discounted loans available for eligible Environmental Plantings projects
