Call for governments to back on-farm renewables

A group that claims to represent more than 7000 Australian farmers wants governments to provide subsidies and incentives for on-farm renewables and rent transmission lines across their properties.
Farmers for Climate Action wants the federal government to support actions that benefit regional farming communities and reduce emissions.
Chief executive officer Fiona Davis said the roll0out of renewable energy could be a massive benefit if the government adopted a national climate change and agriculture policy that delivered on-farm renewables and subsidised batteries.
A report released by Farmers for Climate Action also calls for incentives to increase the speed of uptake of renewables on farms and reduce input costs as well as state and federal governments creating a mechanism through which farmers were paid an annual rent for transmission lines and to provide better benefits to country communities.al
Ms Davis said farmers have the space for small and large renewable energy projects paired with on-farm energy storage which would be viable if subsidies were available.
Reducing farmers' costs can reduce the cost of food on the supermarket shelves and the cost of living of everyday Australians, she said.