The EA project was established in June 2004 and focused on developing a set of Guidelines for EA in Australian Horticulture and trialling these with horticultural growers. This project was funded through the Natural Heritage Trust, Pathways to Industry EMS Program.

The key objectives of EA Project were to:

1. Ensure industry ownership and awareness of environmental management
2. Encourage adoption of Environmental Assurance through user-friendly Guidelines that harmonise with existing Quality Assurance and Food Safety systems
3. Ensure industries implement pathways to addressing environmental management issues

These link and integrate with the NHT objectives, which aimed to develop and implement EMS and other environmental assurance approaches to achieve:

• the adoption of profitable and sustainable farming practices; 
• improved natural resource management and environmental outcomes; and 
• an ability to demonstrate environmental stewardship to domestic and international markets.

The Horticulture industry has also contributed to the program, through involvement in industry forums, grower trials and ongoing support of the program within external forums since its establishment in 2004.

The EA project was not about introducing compulsory systems or assurance process, or adding to the range of systems and programs already available and being developed for growers. All activities were focused to ensure environmental management should be a benefit and not a burden to industry.

Consequently, strong industry consultation and involvement was encouraged and sought throughout the project. This included the establishment of an Industry Leadership Group, many industry forums and on-farm trialling of the EA Guidelines with industry members.

For more information on industry engagement see “Industry Ownership” section. [Click here.]

Technical input for the project was provided by the Horticulture for Tomorrow Technical Steering Committee. The committee was made up of experienced hands-on advisers and program managers who have worked with horticultural industries across Australia, and are well aware of the challenges and potential pitfalls involved.

The chair was HAL quality assurance and food safety specialist Richard Bennett, based in the Goulburn Valley where he has worked with growers and packers for more than 20 years. Other members of the committee are Freshcare national program manager Clare Hamilton-Bate, NSW extension horticulturalist Joe Ekman, WA-based consultant Graham McAlpine, Queensland senior extension horticulturalist John Bagshaw, national Enviroveg program manager Sarah Hearn, Victorian sustainable horticulture project manager Anne-Maree Boland, Australian Government EMS Working Group member Eliot Dwyer from SA, Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers sustainability policy officer Jane Muller, Tasmanian Quality Assured manager Jane Lovell, and Victorian-based consultant and horticulturalist Charles Thompson.

A national communications program was also established and implemented to ensure increased awareness within industry of the program as well as promoting the environmental activities of the industry externally. Porter Novelli was contracted to undertake these communication activities. This includes profiling industry case studies, distribution of media releases and other promotional activities. See Media Centre for more information. [Click here]

The activities undertaken within the EA Project included:

• Hosting an Industry Summit November 2004
• Development of the Introductory Guide to Environmental Management for growers who want to know more about environmental management, the issues and options available.
• Draft versions of comprehensive guidelines and a voluntary checklist which growers can use at their own pace to introduce and monitor environmental management outcomes. 
• On-farm trials with over 200 growers across Australia of the Draft EA Guidelines
• Completion and launch of the Final EA Guidelines

The project has been completed. However, learnings and outcomes from the EA Project are still being used by industry today.

The EA Guidelines are still the key reference document for environmental assurance practices for the national horticulture industry. Activities are still being undertaken to ensure they are adopted by industry when they need to.