Farmers are faced with seasonal variability twelve months of the year, year in year out. It comes as no surprise that many farmers are somewhat sceptical about climate change and the so called carbon economy. Through the Future Farm Landscapes project a group of ten farm businesses on Eyre Peninsula, South Australia have been looking at how they can use the experts and current best knowledge to plan the future for their farming businesses.

‘Next generation’ farm plans and action plans have been developed by each farm business. The plans incorporate assessments of production by risk, the value of biodiversity, a farm carbon audit and management strategies for the short to long term. The farmers have had the opportunity to hear the latest information and actively discuss climate change, soil carbon and biology, biodiversity values and carbon farming.

This paper will provide detail on the process used, outcomes from the planning process, farmer feedback and further recommendations for farmer engagement in climate change.