EMS Association Newsletter Summer 2007

1. What’s On

Taking action to reduce global warming using a regional EMS.

Jennifer Smith Grubb
President of the Sustainable Silicon Valley project
24 January 2007 at 1.30 pm
Y Conference Centre
Wentworth Ave, Sydney.

Come to this three hour presentation to find out how Sustainable Silicon Valley is using an EMS approach to reduce environmental pressures in the region. Businesses, governments, academics and NGOs are all reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the primary contributor to global warming, using EMS tools. They are improving their energy efficiency, increasing the use of renewable sources of energy and saving money in the process.

EMSA National Forum

Burke & Wills Motel
Toowoomba Qld
15-17 May 2007.

The committee is developing a stimulating program that will draw on practical experiences with EMS and promote discussion on future directions. A draft program has been developed for this interactive forum and is available on the website at: www.ems.asn.au/events/2007_forum/program.htm. The program will cater for 'EMS novices' and experienced EMS practitioners, and will incorporate experiences from a range of industries and countries. Stay tuned for the call for papers in the next three weeks!

2. What’s News

EMSA welcomed its’ first corporate member in 2006. Baiada Poultry Pty. Ltd has been implementing EMS for a number of years at various sites throughout Australia, and sees membership of the EMS Association as important to contirbute to discussion on EMS, achieve recognition for EMS users, and in for giving industry a voice in the futurer of EMS. Click here to read the letter of commendation from Baiada MD, John Camilleri.

We also had our first not-for-profit group, the Apple and Pear Growers Association of SA, join EMSA in December. This Association was one of the original EMS Pilot projects, and farmers worked to develop EMS resources and information. Thanks to Trevor Randford and APGSA members for their support.

EMSA hosted its first event in the NSW Forestry offices in the Cumberland State Forest, with speakers from South Africa, Victoria, NSW and Qld discussing the benefits of EMS. For a short report on the event go to: http://www.ems.asn.au/events/061030.htm

DAFF has released the evaluation report of the 16 EMS Pilot Projects. The report details a range of benefits arising from EMS and notes the need for on-going support and information to be made available to users of EMS. The report can be found at http://www.daffa.gov.au/natural-resources/land-salinity/ems/nat-pilot-programme.

The Australian Farm Policy Institute featured EMS in the November 2006 issue of its journal. EMS President, Genevieve Carruthers, contributed a paper discussing the benefits that have been reported from those using EMS and co-authored one with ALMS Director, Tony Gleeson, looking at the design principle of EMS. ABC Radio National conducted an interview with Genevieve and Mick Keogh (CEO of Farm Policy Institute) on 4 December 2006 about EMS - available at www.abc.net.au/rn/bushtelegraph/. We appreciates the generosity of Mick and his team for giving EMSA a plug in the journal – it really makes getting EMS information to people that little bit easier!

The Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture has recently finalised papers for their upcoming special edition on EMS in agriculture. Many of the papers were drawn from the 2005 EMS conference. The release date for this special edition is early 2007.

3. Membership

EMSA has established its payment gateway, so that those of you who wish to become members can do so conveniently over the internet. You can join as an individual member ($88 per year), as a corporate member ($330), or as a not-for-profit group ($165). See the website (www.ems.asn.au) for more details on membership benefits, including a minimum of 25% discounted registration fees for EMSA hosted events.

4. Coming up

Don’t forget that the EMS Incentives program will soon cease to be. This program encourages the adoption of sustainable management practices through the implementation of EMS by primary producers. The EMS Incentives Program adminstered by Centrelink provides primary producers with a cash reimbursement of up to 50% of the costs associated with developing and implementing an EMS. The maximum reimbursement payable under the program is $3 000. The incentive is intended to support primary producers who want to develop an EMS for their operations. For information, visit www.daff.gov.au or call 1800 050 585.

We want to share as many EMS stories as possible, so if you, your EMS partners or clients have a story to tell, we are happy to post it on the website. Please call Genevieve Carruthers (0266 261 237) to discuss such postings. To advertise EMS events, jobs or opportunities, remember to use the website. Members can advertise at a discounted rate. Please contact Claire Braund on 02 43696006 if you wish to take up this opportunity.

The EMSA committee wants to know what you want to hear about, so please contact us at contact@ems.asn.au