Browsing by Author "Holloway, S"

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Environmental and economic performance indicators : Farm Management Systems for the Sugarcane Industry, sub-program 2
(2006) Chambers, D; Holloway, S
This project examines the use of key performance indicators within a Farm Management System (FMS) to assess changes in environmental and economic circumstances attributable to exposure to key risk factors. Such indicators should be standardised across an industry but be sufficiently flexible to reflect regional conditions and preferences of stakeholders from the sugar value chain, government and wider community to ensure local ownership of outcomes. A standard list of indicators that would encompass all major risk factors across all sugar regions was developed. Several approaches were trialled to achieve this. General disinterest amongst industry representatives fuelled by lack of incentives to stimulate indicator based monitoring represented a major impediment to this endeavour during a period when low sugar prices and industry restructuring, reorganisation and re-alignment at the regional and local scale assumed greater importance for the survival of the industry in general and individual businesses in particular. We progressively added entries to the list of indicators to accommodate the perceptions of an increasing number of growers and other stakeholders during the progress of this project. The final list incorporated business related as well as environmental indicators drawn from the Landholder’s Monitoring Guide developed by NRMW, the ABARE NRM survey of farm family households and health and safety material developed by CANEGROWERS Burdekin and Bundaberg.
Farm health and safety tools for the Sugar FMS framework : Final report FMS008
(Sugar Research and Development Corporation (SRDC), 2006) Pawsey, M; Holloway, S
The main issue being addressed by this project was a practical need for workplace health and safety (WHS) information specific to the sugar industry, a complex issue only lightly addressed within the environmentally focussed Sugar FMS program. Regional CANEGROWERS from Bundaberg and Burdekin in particular recognised this issue and had been accumulating relevant material for some time. This project enabled them to compile this information into a format compatible with the broader FMS materials, incorporation of the material by Agrecon, with testing and feedback provided by growers.
Interactive web-based material to support FMS : Farm Management Systems for the Sugar Cane Industry, sub-program 1
(2005) Chambers, D; Holloway, S
An interactive web-based toolset was developed to support the Australian sugar industry’s Farm Management System (FMS) program. Primary issues that were addressed in this sub-program included the provision of a system to increase ease of access to FMS resources, building a channel for the dissemination of new information to growers, and facilitating interactive support for customisation of industry wide requirements to local circumstances. The toolset developed by this sub-program incorporates a database of useful information with a linked search tool plus a series of templates and guides to help cane growers to establish their own FMS. The content of this toolset and major outputs from this project can be viewed from the www.srdc.gov.au website, following the FMS links. The framework and initial content of the toolset were developed by Agrecon in collaboration with two FMS pilot projects, in the Central and Burdekin regions, plus a range of other grower, industry and government representatives with valuable input provided by the FMS Steering Committee. The framework was developed to enable other information types such as the indicators and auditing options still being developed under other FMS sub-programs to be readily incorporated. The linked search tool allows growers to find information relevant to their particular region, management issue and information type. The database includes information for sugar producers on key legislation, codes of practice, best management practices, risks and other general guides. More than 300 records were created to establish the database, many with multiple region-specific versions of fact sheets including a simple overview of implications for cane growers and links for users requiring more detailed information. An integrated guide to producing a FMS was based on the fundamental requirements of the international standard for environmental management systems, ISO14001. This includes information and templates for mapping, record keeping, self-assessment review, risk analysis, action plans, report production and monitoring as discrete but linked stages in the FMS process. In addition to the above information that can be freely downloaded, Agrecon has also incorporated the framework and associated industry specific information within a sugarcane module under the umbrella of their broader AgrePRECISE online system. This subscription service, which will be offered free during the FMS Training sub-program to help cane growers establish their FMS, links the above information within a secure account to other databases and interactive tools. This centralised and standardised information management system will further assist growers to more rapidly establish and maintain their FMS. This resource is expected to provide valuable and consistent information to assist Australian cane producers to establish and maintain a FMS. Its dynamic web-based format of delivery allows for continuous improvement and maintenance as the industry progresses along the path of improved environmental and economic sustainability. The structure of the database, search tool and record display format makes this system very easy to maintain by non-technical personnel via a user-friendly data base editing tool. Agrecon has volunteered to continue to improve and add to the content of the FMS information system throughout the duration of the FMS program using feedback from the industry. In a similar vein, Agrecon is willing to maintain and add to the final list of “Indicators” being developed during sub-program FMS002 and to ensure that these are linked to relevant risk and BMP material as appropriate. It may also be appropriate to add the list of “Auditing options” being developed in sub- program FMS004 as ongoing inputs to this FMS database, including fact sheets with links to supporting resources.
Options for auditing and certification of farm management systems : Farm Management Systems for the Sugarcane Industry, sub-program 4
(2006) Chambers, D; Holloway, S
Key stakeholders within the sugar industry, surrounding community and Government are concerned over the potential impact of sugar production on the environment in general and the highly sensitive world heritage listed neighbouring ecosystems in particular. An increasing number of growers are responding by upgrading management practices and seeking relevant training opportunities. An industry wide system for certification, accreditation and auditing of farmers and properties would add value to individual enterprises, demonstrate stewardship, raise the industry profile, reduce community concern, attract project related grant support, win financial rewards from banks, insurance companies and regulators and bestow advantages within niche markets for environmentally sustainable high quality products. This project reviewed approaches, systems and implementation options for certification, accreditation and auditing across a range of other industries. We reviewed documents and held wide ranging discussions with other industry sectors as well as sugar industry, government and community representatives. Having regard to the unique circumstances and diversity of regional environments across the industry, we favour a structured though flexible auditing and accreditation system. This would accommodate industry wide consensus in favour of voluntary compliance and ensure that Su