EMS Newsletter - March 2005 edition

Welcome to the first e-newsletter from the Environmental Management Systems team in the Australian Government's Department of Agriculture Fisheries & Forestry.

This newsletter has been set up to tell you and your networks about progress on EMS policy initiatives, including our major programs funded under the Natural Heritage Trust, and about upcoming events.

We'd also like it to be a way for everyone in the growing EMS community to communicate with each other. So we will welcome contributions from you, including information or articles on stakeholder activities and events, State and Local Government policy summaries and updates, publications and resource summaries, dates/events, and other things you feel may be of interest to others involved in EMS in Australian agriculture.

You may have subscribed to this newsletter or been added to the list because you were involved in the EMS National Pilot Program, the Pathways to Industry EMS Program or another related activity. If you want to un-subscribe, follow the directions on the DAFF subscription webpage.

This edition contains the following articles;

• Updates on the National Pilot, Pathways to Industry EMS and the EMS Incentives Programs
• Launch of Enviromeat - showing how one of the EMS pilot projects is going about testing the market for their produce
• Launch of Guidelines for Environmental Assurance in Australian Horticulture - recent progress of one of the Pathways Program projects
• Victorian Farmers' Federation and EMS - the VFF's plan for cooperative action
• Updated National EMS Training Kit
• NRM Facilitator training - DAFF's approach for improving awareness and understanding of it's EMS programs
• Update on the MDBC's Watermark - Environmental Stewardship Project - linking on-farm environmental management to catchment management outcomes
• Greenhouse Challenge - Agriculture - a program to help manage greenhouse gas emissions at the farm level
• Upcoming EMS events 

EMS National Pilot Program - How Are the Pilots Doing So Far?

The pilots are half way through their life and a Mid-Term Review of the Program was completed at the end of 2004. Good progress is being made and the Program is starting to generate some useful outcomes despite the challenges some of the pilots are facing, such as the continuing impact of drought in some regions.

At this early stage, the pilots are:

• Helping participants take on a new approach to managing environmental issues on their properties/in their businesses.
  
• Developing a strong sense of what works and what doesn't (in terms of EMS design) within different industries.
  
• Getting a clearer indication of where EMS is likely to be well adopted and where it is not.
  
• Gaining a better understanding of the reasons why it isn't going to be well adopted in some instances and what it is that producers require in its place. 

A number of different approaches to EMS are being adopted across the Pilots in response to different industry, catchment, regulatory and community settings. Individual Pilots are starting either from scratch or building on existing QA, and environmental programs. Some of these different approaches include:

• Development of either a complete or partial EMS - the issue being whether or not to go to a fully-fledged EMS consistent with ISO 14001;
  
• Formalised staged approach - in which recognition is sought for achieving discrete stages along the EMS path;
  
• Linking recognised catchment targets within on-farm EMS;
  
• Integration with other management systems, QA or environmental programs. 

While it is still too early to clearly identify tangible benefits from incorporating EMS into typical broad acre farming enterprises (compared with some of the more intensive industries), two broad benefits from EMS and participation within the program can be demonstrated:

• All participants will ultimately end up with a better understanding of their businesses;
  
• EMS will provide them with a framework within with which to better manage environmental risks. 

EMS also offers significant scope for enterprises or industry groups to:

• Demonstrate responsible management of natural resources in order maintain ongoing access to resources (this is particularly the case for Pilot groups requiring access to public resources such as water or fisheries);
  
• Maintain or improve relations with industry regulators;
  
• Assure markets (not necessarily end-consumers) that food products are being produced in environmentally sustainable production systems thereby ensuring ongoing access to markets. 

Additional benefits identified from the Program include:

• Potential to use EMS as a new "platform" for agricultural extension;
  
• "Support networks" arising from participant involvement in the pilots;
  
• Opportunities for greater involvement by women in the running of farming enterprises. 

To view or download the Mid-Term Report, visit the Department's website and go the EMS National Pilot Program page.

EMS Pilot Releases Environmentally Certified Meat to Consumers

A new meat product was launched to consumers for the first time at the Churchill Farmers Market, Phillip Island in late November 2004. This comes as a result of Gippsland Natural beef producers participating in the Natural Heritage Trust funded EMS National Pilot Program. The Gippsland EMS project is looking at the value of EMS as a product to assist with marketing. The group will be testing if consumers are prepared to pay for environmental management and if they can afford to reward the farmers for the extra effort involved.

Jenny O'Sullivan has been driving this project as one of the 16 pilots in the Program looking at the value of Environmental Management Systems. "We see that consumers want to know that the food they eat is grown in a sustainable manner. We wanted to say we really are "green farmers" in the way we produce our meat.

To supply Enviromeat farmers need an externally audited EMS as well as the additional requirements of:

• Meat Standards Australia training to enable producers to meet grading requirements for a tender product
  
• Use no Hormonal Growth Promotants
  
• Free range system so cattle have access to grass at all times
  
• Procedures and Monitoring for Biodiversity and Water Quality Management
  
• Environmental Best Management Practice, including monitoring, for Grazing, Soil and Fertiliser, Weeds and Pests, and Chemical use 

Noel Steward, Senior Environmental Auditor with SAI Global Assurance Services was very impressed with progress when he carried out an External Audit against the ISO 14001 Standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS) on the Gippsland EMS Cluster. There are now 17 members of the Gippsland Beef and Lamb EMS cluster.

The auditor was very positive with the observations made during his visit, confirming the group continues to operate an EMS consistent with the requirements of the Standard, that the system is well documented, and operationally, those visited were in fact "doing what they said they would do".

Jenny is excited with the launch of Enviromeat, "We supply a product that meets consumers' desire of animals grown in a stress free environment. Our cattle are graded under the MSA system. Any animals that have been stressed or poorly managed will not grade and will not be sold under our brand. Being grass fed they have the advantage of being high in Omega 3 fatty acids that are so essential for good health. We do not use artificial hormones to promote growthas we see consumers want a clean natural product. The challenge is to be able to say our product is truly environmental. We have taken three years to develop the environmental system but we are now comfortable we can make the product available to the public."

For more details contact: Jenny O'Sullivan on 5663 2386.

Pathways to Industry EMS Program - An Update

The Pathways to Industry EMS program has now successfully moved into its second round of funding with the contracts already signed between the Australian Government and the successful proponents: chicken meat, egg, red meat, rice and wine industries, as well as the Victorian and Western Australian Farmers' Federations.

Projects under the Program encompass activities such as training farmers and auditors, developing EMS guidelines, modules and other tools, piloting EMS / environmental assurance approaches and pathways, developing and implementing communication strategies, and extending current EMS related projects through the supply chain. These industry projects build on existing industry programs to help their members improve their natural resource management practices. Funding is used to accelerate this work, or to put in place new EMS or environmental assurance initiatives.

To find out about each of the projects under the two rounds, visit the department's website for a list of projects.

EMS Incentive Program - What Has it Been Used For?

The EMS Incentives Program (Incentives Program) is designed to raise EMS awareness and encourage the adoption of sustainable management practices at the primary producer level through the development of EMS plans. Incentives Program funding has been used to assist primary producers seeking professional advice in areas such as soil surveys and water testing and in the eradication of weeds or pests that are detrimental to the land.

For further information on ways that Incentives Program funding can be used on your property and eligibility criteria, contact Centrelink on 1800 050 585 or visit the Centrelink website.

Guidelines for Environmental Assurance in Australian Horticulture

In November 2004, the horticulture industry released a set of draft guidelines for Environmental Assurance in Australian Horticulture as part of the Horticulture for Tomorrow project. This project is driven by Australia's horticultural industries and funded by the Natural Heritage Trust, through the Australian Government's Pathways to Industry EMS Program. The project was developed to help growers link production targets to their care for the environment as an integral part of daily business management.

During 2005 project team members will work with industry and at least 140 individual growers across Australia to test the draft guidelines and checklist. Following this extensive testing process, the guidelines will be finalised for distribution to every grower in 2006.

The grower trials are a major component of the project and it is expected that a large cross section of industry will participate.

To get a copy of the guidelines or find out more about the project, contact Gerard McEvilly at HAL on 02 8295 2300 or check out the Media Release:

Victorian Farmers' Federation and EMS - Victorian Farmers' Federation Led Cooperative Action on Environmental Awareness and EMS Project

Contributed by Greg Smith, Victorian Farmers Federation

The VFF, representing 23,000 farmers, helped initiate Landcare in 1986 and is committed to responsible environmental management. The VFF's Pathways to Industry EMS project will work with the Victorian Government, all 10 Catchment Management Authorities and national EMS Pilot and Pathways projects to enable 4,000 farmers to achieve Stage 1 of an EMS (self-assessment of environmental management) and 2,000 to achieve Stage 2 (commenced an Action Plan based on Stage 1). Communication, co-ordination and co-operation are keys to this project which aims to establish a critical mass of farmers understanding and committed to environmental assurance.

For more information on this project, contact Greg Smith at gsmith@vff.org.au

Updated National EMS Training Kit

In 2002, the Australian Government funded the development of an Environmental Management Systems (EMS) national training kit to increase the availability of EMS training for interested landholders and to ensure a nationally consistent approach to the development of EMS.

The national EMS training kit contains:

• A National Course Manual - a practical guide to assist primary producers develop an EMS for their enterprise;
  
• Case Study Notes - a supporting resource to the course manual and includes four case studies for four different enterprises. These cases studies provide examples that farmers can follow when developing their own EMS;
  
• Australian Farmers' Experiences with EMS - a 33 minute video highlights farmers' experiences implementing EMS across Australia. A range of enterprises is featured, from aquaculture to wool.
  
• A Visual Presentation of course material (CD) - an eight module PowerPoint presentation series. A powerful teaching aid and summary of the national course manual. 

An Instructor Notes booklet is also available for trainers and training providers of the Introduction to Environmental Management Systems in Agriculture course. This 28 page book provides suggestions and advice on how to get maximum value from the EMS training kit as an instructor.

The training kit has recently been updated with a new, easy to use, multi-media CD-ROM now available from NSW Agriculture, Tocal. This practical resource provides a step-by-step guide for primary producers wishing to develop an EMS for their farm.

The CD contains text, video, illustrations, examples, an interactive glossary and practical exercises covering four national competency standards that can lead to qualifications in agriculture and conservation and land management.

A sample demonstration of the CD can be viewed on the Tocal College website.

Developed by NSW Agriculture, Tocal with support from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, the full CD is available for $29.95. This training aid is highly recommended for those wanting to develop a good understanding of EMS or how it can be implemented.

The new CD ROM or training kit is available from Darren Bayley at CB Alexander Agricultural College 'Tocal' on 02 4939 8833, or by order form available on the Tocal College website.

EMS Training for NRM Facilitators

A 4-hour training workshop to help raise the awareness and understanding of EMS among State and Regional NRM Facilitators, State Landcare Coordinators and key representatives of catchment and regional groups has been developed and piloted with a number of NRM State Facilitators. Each workshop will be customised in collaboration with State and Territory Sustainable Agriculture Facilitators to address their particular needs and issues.

The workshops aim to provide facilitators and coordinators with:

• An awareness and basic understanding of EMS;
  
• Information and resource materials on government and industry EMS policies and programs; and
  
• Guidance on how to access relevant information that can be used by producers to help them implement an EMS for their enterprise. 

The workshops will cover the following:

• What is an Environmental Management System?
  
• Development of EMS in Australia - Past and Present;
  
• Overseas experiences;
  
• EMS National Pilot Program and Industry case studies;
  
• How landowners can commence an EMS using a staged approach building on existing industry environmental programs, such as Property Management Planning , Environmental Best Management Practice and whole farm management planning;
  
• Links with regional/catchment planning processes, objectives and targets;
  
• Benefits of EMS;
  
• Course feedback and evaluation. 

Workshops have been successfully delivered to regional facilitators, landcare coordinators and representatives of regional groups in Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.

Planning is currently underway to deliver training workshops in remaining States and Territories over the next six months. For more information about this training, contact James Hoare.

Watermark - Environmental Stewardship Project - An Update on Progress

The Watermark Environmental Stewardship Project (ESP) is now it its final phase of pulling together what has been learned through the Project. ESP has been exploring how to utilize the EMS continuous improvement process to bring about an effective improvement in environmental stewardship in irrigated agriculture by pegging performance standards to those required to meet catchment and other external environmental targets.

The data collection to support the final evaluation and benefit:cost analysis is nearly complete, and analysis of the data is underway.

The project team met recently to agree the framework and processes required for a generic environmental stewardship system that accommodates not only the requirements of ISO 14001 and the Principles of the National Framework for EMS in Agriculture, but other features that the ESP project has demonstrated are also necessary at the farm, catchment and industry scales.

The ESP team is planning to engage with key stakeholder groups to share and road-test their findings, commencing with the EMS Forum in March 2005.

Further information about individual projects can be obtained from nrms@mdbc.gov.au.

Greenhouse Challenge - Agriculture - Helping Manage Greenhouse Gas Emissions at the Farm Level

Contributed by Anthony McGregor, Australian Greenhouse Office

Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture represent a loss of valuable resources from farming systems and are often associated with other negative environmental impacts. This presents opportunities for abatement actions leading to win-win outcomes: reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved environmental sustainability, and enhanced productivity and profitability for land-based industries.

The Australian Government's recently announced Challenge Plus - Enhanced Industry Partnerships program includes a set of carefully targeted initiatives including Greenhouse Challenge - Agriculture. These measures will assist land-based industries to improve the efficiency of their operations for greenhouse and productivity benefits.

The continuous improvement cycle of "plan-do-check-review" is a key principle of Greenhouse Challenge - Agriculture. Within this framework a new Greenhouse Best Practice for Agriculture Workbook, together with a self-assessment-based report form, are being prepared to assist land managers to identify and take advantage of opportunities for improved efficiency of production.

Greenhouse Challenge - Agriculture represents a new and innovative approach to managing greenhouse gas emissions at the farm level. In partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Australian Greenhouse Office is exploring opportunities to work with EMS Pilot and Pathways to Industry EMS Program participants in order to raise awareness of greenhouse and agriculture issues, and to use these new resources to help build greenhouse components into EMS activities where this is wanted. If you would like to know more about the opportunities arising from Greenhouse Challenge - Agriculture initiatives, please contact Anthony McGregor on 02 6274 1514, on email at Anthony.McGregor@deh.gov.au, or visit the Australian Greenhouse Office's website.

Upcoming EMS Events

March 21-23 - Second Annual EMS Forum

This second annual get-together for participants of the EMS National Pilot Program will this year involve participants from the Pathways to Industry EMS Program in two days of joint discussions and informal meetings. It will also include an EMS Forum on day 3 (March 23) where other invited guests from peak industry and community groups can meet with pilot and pathway groups to share and exchange ideas and experiences.

4th National Environmental Management Systems (EMS) in Agriculture Conference

To be held 17-20 October 2005, LaTrobe University, Beechworth, Victoria with the theme "Diversity and Innovation".

The conference aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas and give opportunity for delegates to learn from experiences in different industries. The conference will also provide a forum for robust discussion and debate about the future roles for EMS and EMS related approaches in Australia agriculture and identify opportunities for EMS to contribute to broader natural resource management outcomes.

The conference is designed for people developing and implementing EMS and EMS-related activities or seeking to explore how it can be used. We seek to appeal to farmers and groups involved in EMS, industry groups, Farmers Federations, industry bodies, Catchment Management Agencies, State and Commonwealth agencies, policy makers, scientists in research and extension and people involved in Quality Assurance, food processing and supply chain management.

2nd Riverina Biodiversity Forum - Biodiversity in Modified Landscapes

Rescheduled to 26 - 28 MAY 2005, Griffith Regional Theatre, Griffith NSW.

The forum will encourage discussion of the challenges and direction of biodiversity management in highly modified landscapes such as irrigation areas and facilitate discussions about the opportunities for change with a range of farmers and other land managers.

The meeting promises to be full and exciting one that will engage farmers, policy makers and scientists and generate meaningful outcomes. Proceedings from the Forum will be published.