Climate Change Adjustment

The Climate Change Adjustment Program is part of Australia’s Farming Future and assists primary producers to manage the impacts of climate change.  Assistance will be provided for individually tailored farm business and management advice, and assistance while you consider your future in farming. 

Adjustment advice and assistance will be available to eligible primary producers adversely impacted or likely to be, impacted by climate change, including those experiencing hardship caused by drought. Professional advice and training delivered under this program will be individually tailored to help farm businesses adjust to climate change and to set goals and develop action plans to improve their financial circumstances. Rural financial counsellors can assist eligible farmers in their planning for the future.

Adjustment advice and training grants

An advice and training grant of up to $5500 is available to both you and your partner, if you meet the eligibility test, and may be used to receive advice and training from recognised professional advisers and registered training organisations, TAFE and universities.

The grant may be used for activities such as financial assessment and planning, and advice and training directly or indirectly related to climate change impacts; in addition, the grant can also be used to obtain legal and personal advice, succession planning etc.

If you choose to join the program, a Farm Business Analysis and Financial Assessment will be conducted to help you develop a climate change action plan, outlining the aims and steps required to manage the impacts of climate change and improve the farm’s long-term prospects.

The Farm Business Analysis and Financial Assessment must be undertaken with a Prescribed Adviser, and includes the completion of the Financial Assessment template below:

Note to prescribed advisers:

If this is the first time you are completing the Financial Assessment template, we recommend you view the tutorial to assist you in completing the template.

The template is updated three times a year to reflect changes to the Centrelink income and assets test rates.

The current template is valid from 20 September 2011 to 19 March 2012.

Farm Business Analysis and Financial Assessment

Further information is provided in the following tutorial and fact sheets:

Rural financial counsellors

Rural financial counsellors provide information and referrals and case management to primary producers in financial difficulty through the Rural Financial Counselling Service Program.

Short term income support assistance

Income support is available to assist farm families in financial difficulty to manage the impacts of climate change.  Transitional Income Support is available to primary producers who are participating in the Climate Change Adjustment Assistance Program. The program funding allocation is $8.5 million to Transitional Income Support in 2011-12. The program may be closed to new applicants before this date if funds are fully committed earlier.

Policy guidelines

In the 2011-12 Budget, the Australian Government announced an extension of Transitional Income Support for a further 12 months until 30 June 2012 or earlier if all program funds fully committed before that date. Updated Climate Change Adjustment Program Advice and Training Guidelines and Transitional Income Support Guidelines can be accessed from the DAFF website at the following links.

More information on adjustment advice and assistance or to apply

More information on targeted training activities

Call 1800 638 746 or email Australia's Farming Future

Other DAFF assistance programs

Rural Financial Counselling Service

Foreign language service phone 131 202.

Last reviewed:
04 Oct 2011
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