Many farmers using Environmental Management Systems seek external certification - Wesley Hazell from Tasmania's Huon Valley has met the requirements for several different approaches.

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) can provide organic growers with an additional way to have their environmental stewardship recognised in the marketplace, according to NSW DPI environmental management specialist Genevieve Carruthers.

'I think the adoption of Environmental Management Systems has something to offer organic growers,' Ms Carruthers said.

'Organic producers traditionally aim towards sustainability and have best management of soil health as a priority,' she said.

'However, certified organic products are largely recognised in them arketplace for the fact they have been produced without the use of synthetic chemicals or growth hormones.'

Ms Carruthers said certified EMS producers focused on assuring consumers that the food and fibre they were buying was produced in an environmentally-friendly way.

'EMS farmers recognise and address environmental impacts of production, by using industry best management practice, and meeting legal obligations and requirements,' she said.

'They make a commitment to improve environmental outcomes and monitor environmental indicators on-farm.

'Under an EMS, farmers improve both their environmental management and their business management to reduce impacts on soil quality, biodiversity, water quality, energy use, waste streams, or habitat.'

Ms Carruthers said there had been some confusion about the difference between organics and Environmental Management Systems.

'It is too simplistic to just say organics is mainly about growing product without the use of synthetic chemicals and EMS is about reducing environmental impacts,' she said.

'Organics is a distinct standard which defines the methods of production a grower can use to harness their farm’s natural growing processes.

'It prohibits the use of artificial chemicals, be they fertilisers or pesticides, and classifies external 'natural' inputs as either permitted or restricted for use.

'An EMS is a voluntary, flexible business management system that helps farmers and managers to develop their own strategies for integrating environmental considerations into the daily operations of a farm.

'The actual impacts addressed will vary for each farm, region and enterprise type, but the overall approach to managing them - the EMS system - will remain the same.'

Ms Carruthers said an EMS farmer could choose to follow an organic production standard and use an EMS, and seek certification to both approaches if they wished.

'However, they may also decide to address a large range of environmental management issues without following an organic approach.

'It’s a matter of choice and meeting market demand - if you have a customer seeking organic produce, they may also like to know that the farmer is managing the environment sustainably.'

The EMS starts with what is already in place and helps organise several management approaches for everything from worker training and emergency response to managing manure, pests and nutrients.

It provides a concrete and useful plan for all these environmental efforts and provides a record of objectives and efforts designed to improve environmental stewardship.

An EMS also encourages farmers to go 'beyond compliance', by making incremental gains and achievements over time, and building on these to tackle an increasing range of issues and performance levels.

Ms Carruthers said both organics and EMS used internationally-recognised standards which could provide information to consumers on how the food or fibre had been produced.

Contact: Genevieve Carruthers, Wollongbar, 02 6626 1200.