MEDIA RELEASE DD FEBRUARY 2015 For immediate release VIC farmers to build business case at carbon farming workshops Victorian farmers have the opportunity to register for a free one-day business awareness workshop. The workshops are for farm owners and anyone considering the business opportunities of carbon offsets projects for farm-based business through participation in the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF). Workshops are supported by funding from the Australian Government and run by Kondinin Group will be held in Victoria between 12 March 2015 and 29 June 2015. The workshops focus on carbon farming and will assist farmers to consider the business opportunities presented by the ERF which came into force on 12 December 2014. The ERF integrates the Australian Government’s original Carbon Farming Initiative scheme (CFI); under which farmers can earn Australian Carbon Credits Units (ACCUs) for carbon offsets projects registered under the ERF. ACCUs be sold or passed down as inheritance to future generations. The Project manager Nilay Gencturk said “The business awareness workshops will carefully consider the business benefits, co-benefits, costs and risks of participating in an ERF project from the perspective of a farmer or those who work closely with farmers”. “After all, a business case cannot be built without knowing the facts and this naturally includes all the pros, cons and risks and discussed different scenarios”. “Kondinin has assembled a strong line-up of presenters who have specialised skills and knowledge and have extensive experience of presenting detailed business concepts to a farmer audience” says Gencturk. “Participants will each receive a free comprehensive 200+ page workshop manual written by two leading professional services firms - one in economics and the other, are experts in this area of law . “For example, we have a whole chapter on the taxation implications of the ERF which will be a great resource not only to farmer’s but for accountants looking for more information in this area. Registrations are open for workshops in rural Victorian towns of Bairnsdale, Euroa, Yarrawonga, Lismore, Birchip, Lake Bolac, Horsham, Ouyen and Swan Hill. Farmers can register online at www.farmingahead.com.au/cfiregister or contact Wendy Thomson on 1800 677 761. To see a full list of workshop dates and locations visit http://carbonfarminginitiative.farmingahead.com.au

For further enquiries please contact: Nilay Gencturk Kondinin Group Tel: (02) 8252 9415 Email: [email protected]

About the ERF The Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) enables farmers and land managers to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for undertaking agricultural carbon offsets projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (such as methane and nitrous oxide) and storing carbon permanently in vegetation and soils through changes to agricultural and land management practices. The original scheme which commenced in 2011 was the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI), under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 was expanded on 12 December 2014 and is now the ERF. The CFI was integrated into the ERF with the passage of the Carbon Farming Initiative Amendment Act 2014 on 12 December 2014. The ERF expands the CFI into other sectors of the economy and underpins the Australian Government’s commitment to reducing Australia’s emissions to 5% below 2000 level by 2020. For more information on the ERF, including the farming specific methodologies that made up the CFI, contact the Clean Energy Regulator: http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/Emissions-Reduction-Fund/Pages/default.aspx. For more information about agricultural programs under the ERF, contact the Department of Agriculture: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/climatechange/cfi For more information on agricultural methods for farm-based business to estimate emissions reductions, contact the Department of the Environment: http://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction-fund

About Kondinin Group Kondinin Group is an agricultural media organisation and the current leading source of independent information for the agricultural industry in Australia. Kondinin Group spends more than $1 million annually on independent research of agricultural equipment and services to aid farmers and the wider industry to make better choices and become more innovative. In addition to working closely with Australia’s primary producers, Kondinin Group also has strong alliances with a range of stakeholder organisations across government, private industry, universities, research bodies and grower groups. Kondinin Group has four areas of specialist services available including memberships for agricultural information services, publishing, training and events. For more information on Kondinin Group visit www.farmingahead.com.au.