The NRM Initiative began in April 2005 targeted at emphasising horticulture’s role as a responsible manager of resources and building on knowledge of the industry’s responsibility to NRM within a catchment context.

It involved the development of a national Horticulture NRM Strategy and the establishment of a number of Industry NRM Groups around Australia to design, record and initiate complementary programs for on-farm change.

The NRM Initiative was funded $450,000 over two years through the National Landcare Program Sustainable Industries Initiative (SII Program).

The NRM Initiative delivered against the objectives of the SII Program, which were to enhance the profitability and sustainability of portfolio industries through:

• increasing their ownership of NRM 
• increasing the number of resource managers and industries that adopt NRM, sustainable agricultural practices and industry BMP 
• promoting widespread recognition of industry BMP as sustainable 
• increasing industry participation in regional planning and activities

For more information on the NLP SII Program visit http://www.daff.gov.au/natural-resources/landcare/national-landcare-programme/sustainable

The NRM Initiative completed in June 2007 with the successful achievement of all objectives.

The Initiative developed a Horticulture NRM Strategy and generated seven Regional Projects, involving different industries and regions across Australia.

• Western Australia - Ord River, Good Management Practices
• Queensland - Condamine Catchment, Water Use Efficiency and Water Quality
• Queensland - Pineapples and Macadamias
• New South Wales - Central Coast
• Victoria/New South Wales - Sunraysia NRM Initiative
• Victoria - Yarra Valley
• South Australia - NRM Strategic Plan, Adelaide Hills

The focus of the regional NRM pilots was to generate more targeted assistance for growers through programs like the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and to ensure that environmental targets being set for catchments are realistic from an industry perspective.

Growers will have more confidence in their ability to do what is required in terms of environmental management and of receiving the backing they need from the community. Catchment managers and the community will have more confidence that the environment they want will be a reality – which may even involve some revision of existing environmental targets.

The regional pilots began with an initial analysis of local issues, environmental targets and programs for industry, which identified any immediate gaps and program opportunities. A more detailed assessment was then made of industries contributions to the local environment, the management practices required for improved catchment health and programs needed to support adoption of different management practices.

For more information on the Regional Group outcomes visit “For Growers” section [click here].

Horticultural producers understand the importance of managing environmental issues. This Strategy enables horticultural industries to strategically address environmental issues and allow them to communicate their successes.

It is a collective strategy, developed with input from the wide range of horticultural industries who (individually and collectively) will implement it.

Vision:
A profitable horticultural industry based on environmentally sustainable production

Objectives:

1. Efficient Production: Advancing efficient and sustainable production systems for profitable and environmentally sound produce.
2. Skilled Growers: Building the capacity and confidence of growers to understand and manage sustainable production systems and environmental issues.
3. Healthy Environments: Planning environmentally healthy and productive regions through joint programs that engage industries and resource management agencies at all levels.
4. Positive Communities: Providing positive business environments for growers through informed planning and policies to help growers invest wisely and add value to regions and communities.
5. Loyal Consumers: Maintaining ongoing consumer demand for Australian produce with informed purchasers, confident in the availability and quality of produce, and the farming systems that grow it.

The development of the Horticulture NRM Strategy is a major step in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the industry. It demonstrates how various elements of the industry’s environmental initiatives fit together (eg environmental assurance, research, training and extension, and even policy development) and will give government and community audiences confidence in the management of the environment by industry.

For more information, or to download a copy of the NRM Strategy, please click here

 Vital to the Initiative was the work of seven Regional Industry NRM Groups.
Commissioned after a call for expressions of interest, the Groups were asked to examine the question “What will promote greater industry participation in regional NRM planning and implementation processes?”.

The aim was to establish close working relationships to ensure industry and catchment managers agree on:
- the environmental targets to be achieved for local catchments, and
- the programs that will be needed to assist growers if industries are to contribute to improving catchment health.

The seven regional groups were:

1. Western Australia - Ord River, Good Management Practices
2. Queensland - Condamine Catchment, Water Use Efficiency and Water Quality
3. Queensland - Pineapples and Macadamias
4. New South Wales - Central Coast
5. Victoria/New South Wales - Sunraysia NRM Initiative
6. Victoria - Yarra Valley
7. South Australia - NRM Strategic Plan, Adelaide Hills

The focus of the regional NRM pilots was to generate more targeted assistance for growers through programs like the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and to ensure that environmental targets being set for catchments are realistic from an industry perspective.

Growers will have more confidence in their ability to do what is required in terms of environmental management and of receiving the backing they need from the community. Catchment managers and the community will have more confidence that the environment they want will be a reality – which may even involve some revision of existing environmental targets.

The regional pilots began with an initial analysis of local issues, environmental targets and programs for industry, which identified any immediate gaps and program opportunities. A more detailed assessment was then made of industries contributions to the local environment, the management practices required for improved catchment health and programs needed to support adoption of different management practices.

For more information on the Regional Group outcomes visit “For Growers” section [click here].