EMS in viticulture

EMS in the viticulture industry

<<EMS in Victorian Agriculture

The viticulture industry has been very proactive in addressing environmental management and leads the way in a number of activities related to EMS.
The industry has released an environmental strategy "Sustaining Success" and has an active peak environmental committee, within the Winemakers Federation of Australia, addressing whole of industry needs.
At a national level the Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture (CRCV) have developed a framework, describing a seven level pathway for adoption of environmental management, which has been used as a model for Australia's National Framework for EMS in Agriculture.
A number of pilot projects are being conducted in Victoria, involving different approaches and scale, which will be used to inform the industry.

Summary of viticulture EMS-related projects in DPI & DSE

Accelerating the Adoption of Good Environmental Management in Viticulture

Viticare: Environmental Management Systems
e-EMF for the Viticulture Industry
Increasing the Adoption of Environmental Best Practices in Horticulture (pilot project Victorian Viticulture)
Environmental Best Practise in Viticulture, Sunraysia
Developing a Regional EMS for the Yarra Valley
Goulburn Valley and Strathbogie Ranges
Winemakers Environmental Management Kit
Applying Environmental Benchmarking on Yara Valley Vineyards
Australian Wine Industry Stewardship (AWIS)

Accelerating the Adoption of Good Environmental Management in Viticulture

Contact: Anne-Maree Boland (ph: 9210 9203) or Emily Tee (ph: 9210 9347), DPI-Knoxfield

Funded by: Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture (CRCV) and DPI.

Approach taken: A training program (‘Getting started with environmental management in viticulture’) is offered throughout Australia through a network of training providers. Several training workshops have been held in various viticulture regions and have focused on introducing the concept of EMS and the Viticare Environmental Risk Assessment (VERA) tool. Products from the Viticare EMS project have been upgrade, including version 2 of VERA and a series of Good Environmental Management Guidelines. Other activities of the project include:

an investigation into the market drivers for improved environmental performance of the Australian wine and grape industry and
a study of the drivers for adoption of good environmental management by grape growers and vineyard managers.

The project operates Australia-wide and has links to a number of regional EMS initiatives or projects.

Viticare: Environmental Management Systems (Project Completed)

Contact: Anne-Maree Boland, DPI Knoxfield, ph. 03 9210 9203

Funded by: Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture (CRCV), Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC) and DPI.

Approach taken: An environmental management framework including EMS and a 7 level tiered approach has been established. This national project tested the implementation of the Viticare Environmental Risk Assessment (VERA) tool and a training program. National Environmental Best Management Practice (BMP) protocols and a viticulture environmental Code of Practice have been drafted.

Articles and papers:

(PDF 517 kb)

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Related sites:

Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture
Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation

e-EMF for the Viticulture Industry (Project Completed)

Contact: Anne-Maree Boland, DPI Knoxfield, ph. 03 9210 9203

Funded by: National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE). Project undertaken by Coomes Consulting Group, Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture, Melbourne University Private

Approach taken: This pilot project has developed a web-based environmental management package, including web information and electronic recording, based on the Australian viticulture industry's Environmental Management Framework. The package guides the user through requirements for meeting the different levels of formal Environmental Management with Level 6 fully complying with ISO14000. The package was developed in conjunction with members of the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association.

Increasing the Adoption of Environmental Best Practices in Horticulture (pilot project Victorian Viticulture)

Contact: Sunraysia component: Sue McConnell, DPI Irymple, ph. 03 5051 4543
Yarra Valley component: Jane Fisher, DPI Knoxfield, ph. 03 9210 9243

Funded by: Naturally Victorian Initiative (NVI) -DPI

Approach taken: This project is based in the Sunraysia and Yarra Valley areas. Recent developments include a draft document on environmental impacts and best management practice (BMP) for each vineyard operation. A survey to benchmark growers against best practice, using a self-assessment tool is also being developed. A training package for the use of tools and action plan development will also be implemented to growers. This training will be jointly developed with Sunraysia and Yarra Valley.

Environmental Best Practise in Viticulture, Sunraysia

Contact: Sue McConnell, DPI Irymple, ph. 03 5051 4543

Funded by: NVI

Approach taken: Major outputs of this project include regional code of environmental best practise covering wine grapes, fresh and dried grapes, legislation requirement document and environmental self assessment tool. The project has undertaken a survey to determine the environmental performance of viticulture in the region and was also planning to develop training to assist local growers.

Project website: Environmental Best Practice for Viticulture

Developing a Regional EMS for the Yarra Valley

Contact: Alison Medhurst, DPI Knoxfield, ph. 03 9210 9246

Funded by: Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC)

Approach taken: This project aimed to develop a regional EMS across all industries in the Yarra Valley (viticulture, horticulture, nurseries, dairy, grazing, pigs, poultry). The project linked with the 'Increasing the adoption of environmental BMP in horticulture' project and also had links to a regional branding project run by the Centre for Agribusiness and Swinburne University. The viticulture industry was used as a pilot industry for development of regional environmental best practices.

Goulburn Valley and Strathbogie Ranges (Project Completed)

Contact: Anne-Maree Boland, DPI Knoxfield, ph. 03 9210 9203

Funded by: GWRDC

Approach taken: A full EMS cycle has been implemented on 13 vineyards, using the VERA tool and ISO14001 as a basis. Goulburn Valley and Strathbogie Ranges vineyards have completed an EMS course that is run by ERT Consulting and registered with FarmBis. A one-day workshop has also been held to explore environmental issues in the wine industry.

Winemakers Environmental Management Kit

Contact: Cheryl Lee, Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association (MPVA)

Funded by: EPA, Victorian Wine Industry Association (VWIA), MPVA and DPI.

Approach taken: The web-based kit includes an EMS module and Cleaner Production module.

Related sites: Winemakers Environmental Management Kit (external link)

Applying environmental benchmarking on Yarra Valley Vineyards

Contact: Alison Medhurst, DPI Knoxfield, ph. 03 9210 9246

Funded by: Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation’s (GWRDC) Regional Innovation and Technology Adoption (RITA) grant and the Greater Victorian Wine Industry Development Committee (GVWIDC)

Approach taken: This project implemented a regional EMS across the viticulture industry in the Yarra Valley. The project followed on from the 'Developing a Regional EMS for the Yarra Valley' project. A CDROM containing Environmental BMP’s, legal obligations and a self-assessment questionnaire is available from the Yarra Valley Wine Growers Association (Ph 03 5962 4800).

Australian Wine Industry Stewardship (AWIS)

Contact Amy Russell, Winemakers Federation of Australia
Funded by: DAFF

Approach Taken: This is the wine and grape industry’s DAFF Pathway to Industry EMS Project and will be managed by Winemakers Federation of Australia. This project began in mid 2005 with the appointment of a National NRM coordinator (Amy Russell), five part-time regional project officers and the call for expressions of interest for membership on regional steering committees. The purpose of AWIS is to demonstrate environmental stewardship to enhance ‘Wine Brand Australia’. The program will focus on aligning with regional/catchment issues, to have a customer and environment focus and to incorporate HACCP/EUREPGAP principles.

The 14 AWIS regional committees are based on multiple Geographic Indication regions and include for Victoria:

NW Victoria, Murray Darling (NSW) and Swan Hill
Central and North East Victoria
Port Phillip, Western Victoria and Gippsland (Vic)

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