Farmers for Climate Action is a movement of farmers, agricultural leaders and rural Australians working to ensure that farmers, who are on the frontline of climate change, are part of its solution.
Our work
armers for Climate Action grew out of a meeting of frustrated farmers in the Blue Mountains in 2015. They had spent decades voicing their concerns about climate change to no avail. They resolved to get to work.
That year, more than 100 farmers signed a letter calling on the federal government to set stronger targets to reduce carbon pollution. Another group ran a crowdfunding campaign to send two young farmers, Joshua Gilbert and Anika Molesworth, to the UN Climate Talks in Paris.
In 2016 we set ourselves up as a formal group and ran a nationwide survey of farmer attitudes towards climate change and renewable energy. More than 1300 farmers around Australia took part, and in November 2016 a delegation of farmers presented the Australian Farmers Climate Survey results to politicians and industry leaders in Canberra.
In 2017 our Board was able to employ a CEO thanks to our supporters, and some of our most active members worked together to help set our direction. With more and more viable climate solutions available, we are keener than ever to see strong climate action from governments, businesses and the community. Today we represent more than 8000 farmers across Australia. Our supporter base includes over 45,000 Australians committed to climate action for agriculture. Together we are working to ensure farmers are a key part of the solution to climate change. Our farmers and our Board can be found across the country: from the tropical north of Queensland to the cooler climes of Tasmania, and from the wine growing regions of Western Australia right across to the sheep and cropping farms of New South Wales. Our staff members are spread across the east coast of Australia.
Our Vision: Farming Forever: Farmers and our representatives are climate leaders
Our Mission: To influence Australia to adopt strong economy-wide climate policies and realise a prosperous and sustainable future, full of opportunity for farmers and farming communities
Farmers for Climate Action is a movement of farmers, agricultural leaders and rural Australians working to influence Australia to adopt strong climate policies by growing the number of farmers, farming communities and elected representatives championing ambitious action. We connect farmers with each other and support them to advocate for and enact climate solutions both on and off farm. We are independent, non-profit and non-partisan. We represent 8,000 farmers across Australia, and our supporter base includes over 45,000 Australians committed to climate action for agriculture. Our members and our Board can be found across the country from the tropical north of Queensland to the cooler climes of Tasmania, and from the wine growing regions of Western Australia right across to the sheep and cropping farms of New South Wales. Our staff members are spread across Australia, working remotely and from our office hubs. We work closely with people and organisations across the agricultural and climate sectors to find opportunities to tackle the challenge of climate change and ensure rural communities’ interests are represented. We are a member of the National Farmers’ Federation and a member of the Climate Action Network Australia. We believe that if we grow the number of farmers, their communities and their representatives who are leading on climate-smart farming solutions and championing strong economy-wide climate policy, we can influence governments to implement climate policies that mitigate climate change and benefit rural communities.
We approach our work with a few key principles
We are evidence-based and informed by the best available science.
We are collaborative, inclusive and respectful.
We respect and embrace the diversity and wisdom of farming communities.
We are empowering our farmers to be bold and courageous and widening the space for rural Australia to take action on climate change.
We are sustainable and are committed to being here for the long haul through being ecologically, financially and socially responsible.
We are strategic and work towards delivering tangible, long-term results, while maximising our impact.