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A regular newsletter produced
by NSW Agriculture reporting research findings and activities which underpin
the development of internationally acceptable accreditation systems for
sustainable agricultural production, environment management and new agri-industry
systems. Contributions are welcome. Contact: The Editor,Gavin
Tinning, EMS in Agriculture Workshop Secretariat Ph (02) 66261139 Fax (02)
66283264 Email gavin.tinning@agric.nsw.gov.au
or
Genevieve Carruthers: Ph:
(02) 66261237 Fax (02) 66283264 Email genevieve.carruthers@agric.nsw.gov.au
or
A national workshop titled “Environmental Management Systems in Agriculture - Current Issues : Future Directions” is to be held in May 1999. This workshop aims to develop a national strategy for the adoption and implementation of environmental management systems in agriculture. We hope to bring together stakeholders from the Australian and international agribusiness sectors to identify common principles and approaches to environmental management systems. The workshop is to take place in Ballina, New South Wales, 26- 28 May, 1999.
Who will attend?
A number of stakeholders
have been identified as having an important contribution to make to this
workshop. As it is proposed to develop a national strategy on the use of
EMS in Australian agriculture, representatives of the following stakeholder
groups are being invited to participate:
Objectives
- Current issues
Key objectives of the workshop
will be:
Workshop outcomes
Future directions
Workshop proceedings including briefing papers, draft statements, invited papers and outcomes, will be published. These will form the basis for a series of recommendations to the Standing Committee on Agricultural Resource Management (SCARM) and to industry bodies. Ultimately a national strategy will be developed to assist the adoption of environmental management systems for agriculture.
We envisage that the workshop will foster ownership of the strategies and solutions it determines. Farmers will be provided with better information concerning the use, benefits and potential limitations associated with any particular management system. This will allow more informed choices to be made regarding the adoption of a relevant system and highlight those environmental management issues of relevance to farmers, retailers, environment groups and consumers. The end result of this process could well see the development of legislation reflecting these issues, and providing realistic, achievable parameters.
Introduction to Environmental Management Systems
Environmental management systems (EMS’s) represent an overall systems approach to any industry that needs to manage its impacts upon the environment. An effective EMS is a tool that allows the management, measurement and review of management practices with the goal of improved environmental management. Environmental objectives are selected, target performance levels set, systems designed to meet these targets, measurements taken to check on their effectiveness, problems corrected and a review of the system undertaken to ensure improved overall management. Such a process will be invaluable for farm management.
An EMS should be set up on the “Plan, Do, Check, Review” process. This common sense approach is being used in many industries and realising major savings in production, with associated marketing benefits (see the article p3 on Mike Logan’s cotton operation in Narrabri).
There now exists a good opportunity to unify an approach to EMS within agriculture before any fragmentation occurs. Harmonisation of existing EMS schemes will mean farmers are not required to adopt several systems to cover each commodity or purchaser, as has been the case in quality assurance.
Consequences of not
adopting Environmental Management Systems
Workshop format
25 May 1999
Welcome reception and pre-registration
at Ballina RSL 5.30 pm - 8.00 pm
Day 1. 26 May 1999
Invited keynote speakers
will present issues and case studies relating to EMS in Australia and internationally.
9.00 am - 5.30. pm Conference dinner 7.30 pm
Day 2.
Workshop sessions to discuss
issues identified and begin the process of devising strategies for the
adoption of EMS in Australia. 8.30 am - 5.00 pm
Day 3.
Plenary/ summary Session.
8.30 am - 12.00 pm
Spotlight on EMS in practice
Environmental certification for cotton farm Narrabri, NSW.
A north- west NSW cotton farm has become the first farm in the world to gain AS/ NZS ISO 14001 certification, a recognition of its compliance with world’s best practice principles for environmental management. The Narrabri district property of Oakville, owned by Mr. Mike Logan, is producing cotton that can be marketed into environmentally sensitive markets. The certification has allowed him to differentiate his product in the marketplace, producing a good quality Australian product with an assurance of environmentally sound practices.
A comprehensive environmental management system has been developed on Oakville, satisfying the ISO AS/ NZS standard. After conducting an environmental audit to identify key aspects of production that impacted upon the environment, an environmental management plan was produced. The initial environmental audit identified 5 main areas of management that potentially produce environmental impacts: soils, waste, water, air and people.
Oakville’s environmental policy states “We will endeavour to manage our operations so that water, nutrients applied, chemical inputs, and energy inputs are used to optimise production and minimise generation of residuals and waste”.
They have also undertaken to aim for continuous improvement of their EMS through monitoring and evaluating their environmental performance regularly.
An environmental plan of action, focused on the 5 key management areas was developed in conjunction with a manual of best practice management, and all staff trained in the procedures required to meet the plan.
Principal actions taken by
Mike Logan have included:
Logan believes that many
farmers in the cotton industry are applying sound environmental management
strategies, though not having yet taken it to the level of gaining certification.
Growers are realising that best management guidelines as set by the industry
are generally only a small modification from current practices, and taking
the next step to gain certification under ISO 14001 may be easily within
reach.
Sponsors needed
The EMS project is seeking additional sponsorship for the workshop, targeting institutions and companies who would benefit from display space at the workshop, the opportunity to promote their area of interest, and the considerable networking opportunities that will arise. Sponsorship will enable the support of attendance costs for community groups and also for international delegates, providing sponsors with additional international recognition.
The Fertiliser Industry Federation of Australia (FIFA) is offering sponsorship for a suitable community or non government organisation, lacking access to government or industry funding, that may require assistance with travel expenses in order to attend the EMS workshop. Any organisation wishing to obtain FIFA sponsorship should send their background information and objectives in attending the workshop to the secretariat address on this page.
Further information
Further enquiries regarding the workshop program and sponsorship, can be made to either:
Genevieve Carruthers
Ph: (02) 66261237 Fax (02)
66283264 email genevieve. carruthers@agric.nsw.gov.au
or:
Gavin Tinning
Ph (02) 66261137 Fax (02)
66283264 Email gavin.tinning@
agric.nsw.gov.au
Postal Address:
Wollongbar Agricultural
Institute
Bruxner Highway
Wollongbar NSW 2477
Feedback
Do you have any comments on the issues raised in this newsletter ? Are there other issues that need to be addressed? If so please send them for discussion by both the working party and the workshop to the above address.
Environmental
Management System staff at NSW Agriculture’s
Wollongbar Centre
for Environmental Excellence
Genevieve Carruthers -
Environmental Management Specialist.
Genevieve is currently employed
with the Environmental Planning and Management (EPM) section of NSW Agriculture.
Ms Carruthers has a research background in sustainable agriculture and
formerly worked for the Federal EPA within the Risk Assessment Section.
She is a qualified environmental systems auditor. Recent research has focused
on the use of EMS in agriculture and a preliminary examination of the barriers
to adoption of EMS’s by farmers and industry groups.
Gavin Tinning - Environmental
Management Systems Project Officer.
Gavin has a background in
wetland ecology and in the study of systems approaches to agricultural
management, having managed a permaculture centre in South America. Gavin
is responsible for the organisation of the May 1999 EMS workshop and assisting
with the production of workshop industry guidelines.
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Stages in the implementation of an environmental management system - from Vale. AV 1994 Environmental Awareness and Training. |
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