 Biodiversity:
Restoring the Balance
During the past five years, the industry has developed a Biodiversity Strategy and Plan
(BS&P) for the rice growing region – the first for any Australian agricultural commodity
group. The BS&P has achieved four major outcomes, these being:
- Flexible, practical options for landholders to enhance biodiversity on farm,
allowing a move away from the more restrictive % vegetation requirements of current
environmental initiatives. These practical options will be delivered through the
Environmental Champions Program (particularly Levels 2-3)
- Coordination of every regional organisation with biodiversity initiatives equalling
more effective use of resources to achieve greater on-ground outcomes
- A model that allows other agricultural industries to develop their own
industry/region specific strategy and plan and;
- An on ground case study where a group of landholders will work together to identify
their combined biodiversity vision for their linked farms, identify what resources are
currently available to assist them, cost benefits and then how it links with regional
and catchment outcomes. The learning’s from the case study will become the base of
delivery within the ECP.
 Greenhouse
Program
The industry has also developed a Greenhouse Strategy and Plan – again the first for any
agricultural commodity group in Australia. The Greenhouse Program has seen the development
of an electronic scorecard for farmers which will allow them to monitor and evaluate
strategies and actions for their farm. The actions implemented will focus on greenhouse
mitigation and cost savings on farm. The use of the scorecard collectively will allow the
establishment of an industry benchmark. Also developed are a range of Best Management
Practice options that growers can implement on farm and a grower training session. As with
the BS&P, these actions will be delivered through the Environmental Champions Program.
Industry Best Practice & Innovation
This program focuses on improving the environmental performance of the milling, production and marketing
of Rice in Australia and internationally. This includes waste, energy and water
management and development of innovative solutions and products that help the industry
benefit from having an environmental focus.
Environmental Champions
The Environmental Champions Program, the mechanism for delivering our flagship programs
and existing regional initiatives has been developed in collective agreement with growers
and all relevant regional organisations and agencies. This voluntary, innovative 5 level
achievement program primarily aiming to assist landholders to improve environmental and
economic returns of their farm businesses which in turn contribute to the social fabric of
their regional communities. The framework also allows them to be recognised for their past,
current and future environmental stewardship at an industry level.
Slide 2 - Environmental Champions Program
The program has been trialled under the Federally funded National EMS Pilot program with
240 farm businesses to ensure it is practical, relevant and adaptable to varying
environmental conditions, commodities and environmental policy that exists across the rice
growing region.
The program was launched industry wide in August 2005 and now every landholder
across the rice growing region has the opportunity to participate in this voluntary program.
This has also been done with the assistance of the Federal Government ‘Pathways to Industry
EMS’ program.
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