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EMS - Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture
Funding of $3.9 million was announced in February 2007 to establish partnerships with industry and regions to contribute to the following outcomes:
- increase the adoption of self-sustaining profitable and sustainable farming practices
- enhance sustainable agriculture and environmental outcomes
- enable producers to demonstrate environmental credentials to domestic and international markets.
The EMS Pathways to Sustinable Agriculture Program aims to facilitate partnerships between industries and associated research organisations, and NAP/NHT Regional bodies to develop their capacity to provide leadership and sustained support that will lead to the broad uptake of EMS approaches in Australian agriculture.
Applications were called for in early 2007 under a regional leadership stream and an industry leadership stream. There were 15 successful industry applicants and 8 successful regional applicants. Project work commenced in July 2007.
For background to the program refer to the EMS Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture Guidelines 
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Summary and contact details for all EMS Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture projects are provided below.
Industry Leadership
AUSVEG Ltd
Building a cooperative partnership between Regional NRMs and the Vegetable Industry – a national approach
This project aims to increase linkages between the Vegetable Industry and Regional NRM bodies with respect to NRM objectives and industry EMS practices. This will occur through direct dialogue between the Vegetable Industry (through AUSVEG) and Regional NRM bodies, as well as increased grower representation in NRM bodies.
The project also aims to increase the adoption and implementation of the Industry’s EMS program, “EnviroVeg”, by vegetable businesses and to ensure compatibility with NRM objectives and priorities through the NRM/Vegetable Industry partnership.
Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia
Environmental Champions Program: Engaging the ‘Early Majority’
The Environmental Champions Program is the strategic pathway for environmental improvement for the Rice industry. Since its commencement under the Pathways to Industry EMS Program, adoption of the voluntary Environmental Champions Program (ECP) has increased by 20% through the support of Regional Coordinators across the rice growing region.
This project aims to increase engagement from the “early adopters” to the “early majority” of the industry through continued Regional Coordinator support, encouraging greater participation and maintaining current participant’s progress through the program.
More information about the ECP can be found at www.environmentalchampions.rga.org.au
Private Forestry Southern Queensland
Building on the capacity to extend the uptake of EMS for private native forests in South East Queensland
This project aims to build on the capacity of Private Forestry Southern Queensland (PFSQ) to develop an EMS for the native forest resources within their region. The EMS will be based on environmentally sound, sustainable management to improve the productivity and profitability of producers and provide a process to track ‘chain of custody’ certification of forest products from producer to end manufactured product. The system will enable accreditation under the Australian Forestry Standard 4708. The project will also communicate the benefits of PFSQ’s approach to EMS for private forestry growers across Australia.
More information about Private Forestry Southern Queensland can be found at http://www.privateforestrysthnqld.com.au
Victorian Wine Industry Association
A coordinated approach to improving the Victorian wine industry’s access to and uptake of Environmental Management Systems
This project will enable the Victorian Wine Industry Association (VWIA) to improve member access to and adoption of the Australian Wine Industry Stewardship (AWIS) (viticulture) and the Victorian Winemakers’ Environmental Management Kit (viniculture).
VWIA will develop a state-wide EMS business case and marketing plan and act as a trial for similar initiatives in other states. All Victorian wine industry members will be eligible to participate in the project, including the majority of small operators who are often unable to take advantage of EMS programs due to resource constraints and other business imperatives.
More information about the Victorian Wine Industry Association can be found at http://www.vwia.org
Australian Wool Innovation
Wool Pathways Project – consolidation and collaboration
This project is a collaborative effort between AWI and Meat and Livestock Australia and seeks to build on the collaborative broadacre project (Landleader), developed under the Pathways to Industry EMS Program. The Landleader Project was specifically designed to assist graziers identify environmental best management practice and to report changes in practices to information seekers such as Regional NRM bodies. Landleader has also provided direction for participating farmers to continuously improve their environmental and livestock management practices.
This project will allow the reporting functionality of Landleader to be enhanced and to consider regional NRM targets of several priority Regional NRM bodies, as well as further expand on the data already captured. It is envisaged that Landleader will also continue to be tailored for additional Regional NRM bodies.
More information about Landleader can be found at https://www.landleader.com.au
Australian Egg Corporation Ltd.
Sustainable Environmental Assurance for the Australian Egg Industry
This project aims to build on the successes achieved in the Pathways to Industry EMS Program. At the end of the Pathways program, approximately 60% of egg businesses throughout Australia were compliant with the Egg Corp Assured program, which includes EMS as a mandatory component. In this project AEC will conduct further training and promotional activities with the aim of having at least 85% of egg businesses compliant with ECA by June 2008.
More information about the Egg Corp Assured program can be found at http://www.aecl.org/
Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association
Engaging Tasmanian Farmers in EMS for improved NRM outcomes
This project aims to improve and extend the uptake of the Farm Self Assessment Tool (FarmSAT) by farmers across Tasmania through one-to-one and group facilitation methods. FarmSAT provides farmers with the capacity to assess their own management practices and develop an environmental farm action plan for their property though facilitated self-assessment process. This project will also provide facilitator training to NRM bodies and agri-businesses so that they have the capacity to deliver FarmSAT to their own network of industry groups. This project has strong agricultural industry and NRM support and will have a focus on industry engagement and education through farm visits, workshops and widespread promotion.
More information about FarmSAT can be found at http://www.tfga.com.au/pages/TFGAFarmSATProject.htm
Southern Rocklobster Ltd.
Enhanced Uptake of the Southern Rocklobster Clean Green Environmental Management System
The Clean Green program is an integrated EMS incorporating strategies for product management from lobster pot to plate. The program is based on auditable standards of environmental and ecological sustainability, food safety, product quality, work place safety and animal welfare. In January 2007 the “Clean Green” brand was launched and Australian Southern Rocklobster was placed in new niche domestic and international markets, branded as “Clean Green” for the first time.
This project aims to increase industry uptake of the Clean Green EMS to a target of 440 vessels (66% of the fleet) from 147 vessels (22% of the fleet) and enhance industry capacity to demonstrate Clean Green credentials to markets.
More information about the Clean Green program can be found at http://www.southernrocklobster.com/cleangreen
Meat and Livestock Australia
Increasing the number of livestock producers demonstrating environmental stewardship
This project is a collaborative effort between Meat and Livestock Australia the Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and builds on the collaborative broadacre project (Landleader), developed under the Pathways to Industry EMS Program (see AWI for more information about Landleader).
The Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) Quality Assurance program has been operating for four years and currently underpins the food safely claims of over 100,000 producers and the livestock management claims of over 3000 producers. This project will strengthen MLA’s ability to underpin the environmental claims of 200 producers by funding changes to websites, databases, auditor capability, operational manuals, promotion and producer training. Working specifically with the Murray regional NRM body (Murray CMA, NSW) to assist a group of lamb producers underpin an eco-label is one example of how this project will strengthen linkages between industry and regions.
More information about the Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) Quality Assurance program can be found at http://www.mla.com.au
More information about Landleader can be found at https://www.landleader.com.au
Dairy Australia
Broadening the dairy industry Environmental Management Systems delivery base
This project aims to address and implement priority activities to increase the participation of dairy farmers in regional EMS programs. These activities include developing the NRM capacity of farm service providers to reinforce and promote profitable and sustainable farming practices, involving milk companies in the delivery of industry NRM programs and expanding DairySAT to include climate change considerations.
More information about Dairy Australia and DairySAT can be found at http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au
Curtin University of Technology
Improving Western Australia’s Environmental Performance: a systems approach to sustainable farm practice
This projects aims to strengthen and improve enterprise and environmental performance of Western Australia’s food and fibre industries through an integrated systems based approach to encourage the broader adoption and diffusion of EMS on-farm. In particular, the project is seeking to increase adoption of self-sustaining profitable and sustainable farming practices through broad-scale implementation of existing EMS approaches on-farm.
The project will give grower groups and Regional NRM bodies across the grain belt knowledge and tools to implement EMS. Participating groups will develop strategies for future EMS implementation.
Cotton Research and Development Corporation
Cotton, grains and beef: one farm, multiple enterprises, common indicators
This project aims to develop a set of environmental performance indicators (EPIs) for cotton production that are consistent with the indicators being proposed by the beef and grains industries in their respective NRM programs. This will include cotton growers testing the EPIs proposed by the beef and grains industries for relevance and applicability.
It is anticipated that this project will help build a set of cross-industry EPIs that will enhance the adoption of sustainable farming practices, reduce the administrative burden on Regional NRM bodies, and build a framework for continued collaboration on the identification and determination of appropriate EPIs for multi-enterprise farms.
More information about the Cotton Research and Development Corporation can be found at http://www.crdc.com.au
Queensland Seafood Industry Association
Adoption of EMS in the Queensland Seafood Industry
This project aims to develop and implement three EMS’ for the seafood industry in key regions along the Queensland east coast. Regional NRM bodies, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries and other relevant stakeholders will be involved in the development and implementation of each EMS.
A series of workshops, including environmental reviews, risk assessments, action plans and codes of practice will be held in the three regions. Training courses for industry participants will also be held.
More information about the Queensland Seafood Industry Association can be found at http://www.qsia.com.au
Apple and Pear Growers of South Australia
Establishment of Environment Management Systems as a standard ‘tool’ to manage natural resources within the Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed
This project aims to maximise the use of the EMS ‘tools’, developed as part of the Mount Lofty Ranges EMS Pilot Project, by both the participants of the Pilot project as well as the broader Horticultural and Viticultural industries within the Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed.
The Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed is aiming to become a self managed and funded EMS program. The 32 apple, pear, cherry and wine grape business involved in the EMS Pilot Project will be assisted to achieve fully completed business/property EMS documents. In addition, a further 100 apple, pear, cherry and wine grape businesses will undertake EMS training and the vegetable and berry industries within the Mount Lofty Ranges will be provided with and provide information and assistance on EMS.
More information about the Mt Lofty Watershed EMS can be found at http://www.mtloftyems.com.au
Pastoralists and Graziers Association
Extending EMS approaches to Western Australian pastoral land management
This project aims to extend industry engagement in EMS to the Northern Rangelands region, following the Pathways to Industry EMS project that engaged southern pastoral areas. Workshops will be held to inform Northern pastoralists of the potential to apply EMS approaches to guide sustainable land management and demonstrating environmental credentials.
More information about the Pastoralists and Graziers Association can be found at http://www.pgaofwa.org.au
Regional Leadership
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority
Gippsland's coordinated approach to sustainable agriculture into the future
This multi-regional project is designed to build on existing EMS knowledge and capacity in Gippsland, south eastern Victoria, to achieve increased uptake of EMS approaches on farm. Three Regional bodies; West Gippsland CMA, East Gippsland CMA, and Port Phillip & Westernport CMA will take a leading role in supporting EMS approaches in their regions. They will work in partnership with a range of EMS stakeholders to support the sustainable use and management of Gippsland's land, water and marine resources, by encouraging the broad uptake of environmental management systems approaches by producers and service providers.
The project objective is to build the capacity of farmers and service providers, in order to increase the adoption of self-sustaining profitable and sustainable farming practices across the three CMA regions in Gippsland.
More information about West Gippsland CMA, East Gippsland CMA and Port Phillip & Westernport CMA can be found at http://www.wgcma.vic.gov.au, http://www.egcma.com.au and http://www.ppwcma.vic.gov.au
North East Catchment Management Authority
Sustainable Agriculture; Sustainable Catchments
This project is a partnership between the North East and North Central Catchment Management Authorities (CMA) and the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, and builds on the work undertaken in the EMS National Pilot Program. The project will use existing tools, including the Australian EMS Manual, e-FARMER, environmental monitoring tools and MyEMS.
The project will integrate catchment level targets and farm level activities by incorporating farm scale information on asset, land management/land use, risk assessment and action planning into the web based farm and catchment planning tool – e-FARMER.
More information about North East CMA and North Central CMA can be found at http://www.necma.vic.gov.au and http://www.nccma.vic.gov.au
Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority
Using an EMS approach to build partnerships to deliver sustainable agriculture in northern NSW
This project will build on and strengthen links between the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (NRCMA) and agricultural industries and landholders by working cooperatively to achieve a common goal, i.e. sustainable agriculture, including increased production. The project will also target other industries not currently engaged in NRCMA activities.
NRCMA is aiming to develop a simple EMS with a systematic approach to farming and other land use practices that will sustain environmental values and profitability. The project is also aiming to increase engagement of agricultural industries in NRM across the NRCMA region, support landholders to develop an EMS approach to maintain and improve productivity and profitability, and to increase the capacity of agricultural industries to undertake sustainable NRM across the region.
More information about Northern Rivers CMA can be found at http://www.northern.cma.nsw.gov.au
Mackay Whitsunday NRM Incorporated
Sweet Sugar - Continued development and implementation of an integrated environmental, natural resource and productivity management system for Mackay Sugar Co-Operative Association (MSCA) producers in conjunction with Mackay Whitsunday NRM.
This project aims to implement an integrated technology platform for EMS provision for all Mackay Sugar Co-Operative Association shareholders. All aspects of natural resource management and the opportunities for Sustainable Landscapes incentives for improved practice will be integrated into the EMS, which is intended to be a “one stop” cross compliance tool.
More information about Mackay Whitsunday NRM can be found at http://www.mwnrm.org.au
Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority
Strengthening community delivered EMS in southwest Victoria.
The Glenelg Hopkins CMA has a strong history in managing and delivering EMS. In 2002 Glenelg Hopkins joined with Corangamite CMA to jointly develop and deliver Environmental Best Management Practices (EBMP), an EMS program developed for South West Victoria. In excess of 350 landholders have successful moved through the program.
The objective of this project is to support and deliver EMS within South West Victoria as a component of the Victorian VFF Pathways to Industry program. The project is also aiming to strengthen the capacity of Glenelg Hopkins and Corangamite CMA’s in the delivery of EMS and to strengthen networks and partnerships in EMS delivery in southwest Victoria.
More information about Glenelg Hopkins CMA can be found at http://www.glenelg-hopkins.vic.gov.au
Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Extending a proven EMS program to different commodity in western Victoria
In 2006/7 the dairy industry in western Victoria successfully instituted six NRM “Focus Farm” groups across SW Victoria. The project has proved popular and in 2007/8 a further two will commence work in the CCMA region. The aim of this project is to provide the resources to enable the extension of the program to one extra group and to incorporate farmers from other commodity groups in the program (beef, sheep and broad-acre).
More information about Corangamite CMA can be found at http://www.ccma.vic.gov.au
Wimmera Catchment Management Authority
Providing Pathways for Progressing EMS Adoption in the Wimmera
This project expands on the active and successful Wimmera CMA Property Management Program (PMP), which was introduced in 2006. The PMP program provides base level NRM training which extends the decision-making capabilities of producers in terms of soils, water quality, salinity, soil health, biodiversity and sustainability.
This project is focussed on building the capacity of producers to adopt environmental management techniques, as well as providing opportunities to share NRM management information, at local, regional and national levels. The project will act as a pilot program for producers to report on private NRM activity with the intention of utilising this information to report on producers’ contribution to regional NRM targets.
More information about Wimmera CMA can be found at http://www.wcma.vic.gov.au
South East Queensland Catchments
Regional NRM support of industry-developed Farm Management Systems
In Queensland the industry-developed EMS approach is a Farm Management System (FMS). South East Queensland Catchments has developed a number of tools and processes that can add value to and support the on-ground implementation of existing industry FMS programs. This project aims to establish an industry and regional NRM partnership to support FMS. It will build on existing industry and Regional NRM body activities to create a coordinated process for identifying collaboration priorities. It will also establish a regional producer engagement support team across both industry and regional NRM bodies. In addition, the project is aiming to implement approximately 15 on farm EMS’ and establish an agreed NRM information exchange and monitoring system.
More information about South East Queensland Catchments can be found at http://www.seqcatchments.com.au
For more information on the EMS Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture Program, contact Sean Halse: (02) 6272 3031 or Email