EMS Newsletter - April 2006 edition

An eNewsletter from the EMS Team - Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry

• Welcome to the Hon Sussan Ley MP
• 2006 Annual Forum a success
• Horticulture for Tomorrow guidelines nearing release
• Strong interest in DairySAT
• Fertilizer Training and Accreditation
• Climate and soil research of value to EMS tools
• myEMS
• Publications
• Upcoming events
• Feedback and contact 

Welcome to the Hon Sussan Ley MP

We extend a warm welcome to the Hon Sussan Ley MP, the new Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, with responsibility for environmental management systems (EMS). Ms Ley, who represents the electorate of Farrer, in New South Wales, brings considerable knowledge and understanding of rural sector issues to the portfolio. Ms Ley replaces Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck, who has been appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration. Ms Ley previously served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Children and Youth Affairs.

2006 Annual Forum a success

The 2006 Annual Forum for the EMS National Pilot Programme and the Pathways to Industry EMS Programme was held in Sydney on 1 and 2 March. The forum was attended by Pilot and Pathways Programme participants and managers, members of the Industry EMS Advisory Group, representatives of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the management teams from URS Sustainable Development and Hassall and Associates.

The forum was opened by Tom Aldred (Executive Manager of the Department's NRM Division) who spoke of the many achievements of the Pilot and Pathways projects to date. Brief updates were then heard from the Department, URS, Hassall and Associates and the Industry EMS Advisory Group.

The first day of the forum provided an opportunity to discuss outcomes (including review findings) and implications for the future. Discussion included:

• identifying opportunities to improve the recognition of each EMS;
  
• identifying opportunities for project collaboration to strengthen the development and implementation of EMS (for example Dairy Australia and the Ricegrowers' Association of Australia will share information on tiered approaches and extension models); and
  
• future directions for EMS. 

The second day was run as open space, with participants posting and attending topics and issues they thought relevant to their projects. Discussions included market issues, recognition, industry and Departmental collaboration, EMS in the natural resource management jigsaw, property management systems and ecosystem services.

In her closing remarks, Heather Tomlinson (General Manager of the Department's NRM Strategies Branch) stressed the important role of EMS in building industry engagement in NRM and the importance of linking property scale activities to regional NRM targets.

Horticulture for Tomorrow guidelines nearing release

After on-farm trials involving more than 160 horticulturists, the Horticulture for Tomorrow Environmental Assurance Project is about to release its Guidelines for Environmental Assurance in Australian Horticulture.

The project is part of the Horticulture for Tomorrow programme managed by Horticulture Australia Limited and funded by the Natural Heritage Trust through the Australia Government's Pathways to Industry EMS Programme. The objectives of the Horticulture for Tomorrow programme are to increase awareness and ownership of environmental management and provide growers with tools to prove their environmental credentials.

Horticulture for Tomorrow has been addressing these objectives through:

• the development of Guidelines for Environmental Assurance in Australian Horticulture;
  
• the development of an environmental module that links the Guidelines with Freshcare, the horticulture industry's own on-farm food safety programme; and
  
• effective media representation throughout the project via grower case studies and media releases. 

The development of the Guidelines involved:

• on-farm trials with a broad range of horticultural grower groups from across Australia during April - October 2005. Each grower group provided recommendations for the draft guidelines, which have been used to make a number of improvements;
  
• consultation with environmental groups including the Australian Conservation Foundation and the World Wildlife Fund who expressed support and approval for the overall programme, while also providing constructive ideas to improve the Guidelines; and
  
• review by a number of technical experts to ensure the Guidelines contained the most current information from eight key areas including land and soil, water, nutrients, air, waste and energy management and biodiversity. 

It is anticipated that the Guidelines will be finalised for distribution in April.

For more information, visit the Horticulture for Tomorrow website at www.horticulturefortomorrow.com.au or contact Alison Turnbull on (02) 8295 2317.

Strong interest in DairySAT

DairySAT is the dairy industry's EMS self-assessment tool designed to assist dairy farmers:

• identify sub standard practices/areas for improvement on their farm;
  
• obtain information and support on industry best practice standards and incentive funding; and
  
• demonstrate their environmental credentials to the community. 

Launched in late 2005, DairySAT is already receiving strong support from all sectors of the industry, including farmers, milk companies, industry organisations and state agencies.

The challenge has been finding enough resources to assist in the implementation of DairySAT, not finding farmers interested in completing the process.

While farmers can complete DairySAT on their own, most farmers opt to go through DairySAT on a one-toone basis with a trusted facilitator. This enables farmers to discuss issues that are important to their business.

"The individual support from the facilitator was helpful in guiding me through the DairySAT and applying information from the workshops into my own action plan. The DairySAT guide created a good record of our current practices and we hope to be able to use our action plan to substantiate funding in the future" said Peter Rohan (dairy farmer, Queensland).

Most farmers who have completed DairySAT have said they were pleasantly surprised at how well they were already managing the natural resources on their farms. Others have identified significant savings through more effective use of fertiliser or through the information provided about incentive grants and where to go for support.

For three years Mark Billing had been hanging out for a new ute. Last year he got it - thanks to the savings he made by undertaking the DairySAT check as part of a DairySAT pilot. He saved $10,000 off his autumn 2004 fertiliser bill by undertaking a whole-farm nutrient map through the DairySAT process.

Joanne Campbell from the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) identified that "on average, it takes about two hours to complete DairySAT on a one-to-one basis. Outcomes have been impressive, despite the difficulties of finding funding for facilitators."

Regional versions of DairySAT have now been produced for South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland. For further information contact Joanne Campbell (DairySAT Project Manager - DPI Victoria) on (03) 5624 2345 or Cathy Phelps (NRM Programme Manager - Dairy Australia) on (03) 9694 3730.

Fertilizer Training and Accreditation

With support from the National Landcare Programme's Sustainable Industries Initiative, the fertilizer industry's training and accreditation programme Fertcare is well underway. There is significant compatibility between the Fertcare Programme and EMS, in particular Fertcare can help with meeting nutrient management objectives.

Fertcare was launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon Peter McGauran MP in October 2005. Fertcare aims to improve environment protection, food safety and occupational health and safety in the supply and use of fertilizers. It has drawn strongly on independent expertise to ensure its training materials and quality assurance programmes are based on the best available information. Training is delivered across Australia by registered training organisations to meet national competency standards.

The Fertcare programme includes testing fertilizer spreading machinery for accuracy and evenness. "If operators know their machine's spread-pattern, the risk of nutrients leaving the farm is greatly reduced. Efficient spreading practices also mean that farmers don't waste money applying fertilizers where they're not required" explained Martin Shafron (Fertilizer Industry Federation of Australia).

Fertcare accredited people and machines give farmers confidence that they are receiving industry best practice fertiliser advice and the tools to apply it appropriately.

For more information, contact the Fertilizer Industry Federation of Australia on (02) 6230 6987, fertilizer@fifa.asn.au, or www.fertcare.com.au.

Climate and soil research of value to EMS tools

Two programmes currently funded under the Natural Heritage Trust are expected to produce research results that will be valuable to the EMS toolkit in the future. The programmes are:

• Managing Climate Variability; and
  
• Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms. 

While both programmes are in their infancy, the tools developed from each will contribute to improved management of business risk associated with soil degradation and climate variability.

Managing Climate Variability

The programme is focusing research and development activities on improving climate prediction, providing better access to climate information, developing tools to help inform decision making and further adapting agricultural and natural resource management practices to Australia's unique circumstances. For more information visit www.managingclimate.gov.au.

Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms

The programme involves projects where regional farming groups and farming advisors collaborate with research providers to help farmers understand and manage their soils. The projects will explore the management of local soils for sustained production, including methods to reduce input costs, and build the soil's capacity to provide nutrients and water for production. Many will document "best management practices" and showcase decision support tools available to farmers to monitor and manage their farms.

myEMS

To assist with information recording and development, the groups under the Australian Landcare Management Systems Ltd managed EMS pilot have tested a web-based EMS development programme called myEMS. The pilot groups have shown that this system can remove the paperwork from developing a farm's EMS and 'keep the project alive'.

The myEMS programme makes it easier to draw out the everyday thoughts and processes in a farmer's mind and to document and formalises them so they can be seen by anyone.

Over the pilot's three short workshops (held at local primary schools) participating farmers were able to enter information that had previously taken 18 months to complete.

For more information, contact Australian Landcare Management Systems Ltd on (07) 3844 2370 or syncons@ozemail.com.au.

Publications

Environmental monitoring tools now available on-line

A partnership between the North Central Catchment Management Authority, Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and Australian Landcare Management Systems Ltd has produced a series of environmental monitoring tools to help landholders monitor both environmental and production aspects of their enterprises.

These tools will prove very useful for both extension officers and landholders. A range of issues are covered including: remnant vegetation, land condition (groundcover, soil fertility, structure, acidification, livestock carrying capacity, nutrient monitoring), farm management (energy efficiency, livestock integrated pest management, water balance, herbicide resistance) and water quality (groundwater salinity).

These tools are available on-line at: www.dpi.vic.gov.au/science/ems (look under 'environmental monitoring tools'). For more information contact Eloise Seymour or Kyra-Jane Huhn (DPI Rutherglen) on (02) 6030 4500.

Grains Industry Profile now available on-line

The Grains Industry Profile is an interactive and evolving website where users can find out how the grains industry is contributing to a range of environmental, economic and social outcomes, such as water quality, exports and employment.

The Grains Industry Profile is the first major demonstration product of the Natural Heritage Trust’s Signposts for Australian Agriculture project. Three other agricultural industries are soon to be profiled.

The profile provides a quick and reliable means for government and industry policy makers to:

• demonstrate and communicate industry performance;
  
• identify challenges and opportunities; and
  
• better target policy interventions, research and development and data collection. 

The Grains Industry Profile is available at www.brs.gov.au/signposts-grains.

Upcoming Events

Pan Pacific Pork Expo
4-6 May 2006, Gold Coast

Important industry issues will be analysed and discussed, including training, education, environment, marketing, welfare and leading edge technology. The winner of the industry’s national Environmental Stewardship Award will be announced at the Expo. The Expo will also feature a trade exhibition – showcasing some of the industry’s leading products, produce, wares and services.

For more information visit www.apl.au.com.

Irrigation Association of Australia National Conference
9-11 May 2006, Brisbane

With the theme ‘Time to Deliver’ the event will showcase the very latest in irrigation equipment, research, management and commercial opportunities. On offer will be a technical conference, a business to business trade exhibition and a half-day workshop program for irrigation industry participants.

For more information visit www.irrigation.org.au.

Australian Vegetable Industry Conference 2006
10-12 May 2006, Brisbane

The conference will bring the latest information to industry participants. Showcasing current knowledge, machinery and equipment, new variety trials and recent research, the inaugural event will highlight the progressive and technology smart aspects of the vegetable industry.

Next edition of EMSNews

EMSNews will be issued quarterly with the next editions scheduled for July and October.

Feedback and Contact

www.daff.gov.au/ems

GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601