News & Media

Working with industry and community to enhance sustainable agriculture

Released on

Released on:
Thursday, 19. December 2013 - 13:15

A workshop examining ways to enhance sustainable agricultural land management has recently been held in Perth.

The workshop, involving targeted industry and community organisations, focused on the Report card on sustainable natural resource use in agriculture, produced by the Department of Agriculture and Food.

The report card, released in September, summarises the current status and trend of 10 key indicators of land condition.

It shows the situation and outlook for natural resources are mixed. Progress has been made in some areas, such as managing wind and water erosion, while the trend for other indicators such as soil acidity and water repellence has declined.

Department Principal Research Officer Noel Schoknecht said the workshop involved department staff and key stakeholders examining how the report card could be used to enhance sustainable agricultural management outcomes.

“Over the past year, business, government and the community demonstrated a high degree of collaboration to monitor soil acidity across the agricultural areas of the south-west, and to make the information available to industry and the community through the report card,” Mr Schoknecht said

“Workshop participants agreed to continue to work together to develop a monitoring and assessment system that provides the right information to stakeholders involved in policy development, funding and management of natural resources.

“There is already a lot of monitoring happening but these activities are not always well coordinated or communicated.  We can improve this situation and provide land managers with timely information that will help them manage their critical natural resource assets.”

Mr Schoknecht said in addition to the workshop, department officers had met with five NRM groups which cover the agricultural region to discuss the report information and trends.

The Report card on sustainable natural resource use in agriculture is available on the department website at agric.wa.gov.au

Photo caption: Department of Agriculture and Food principal research officer Noel Schoknecht (right) and Evergreen chairman Bob Wilson discuss future enhancements to the sustainable agriculture report card.
Photo caption: Department of Agriculture and Food principal research officer Noel Schoknecht (right) and Evergreen chairman Bob Wilson discuss future enhancements to the sustainable agriculture report card. 

 

Media contact: Jodie Thomson/Lisa Bertram, media liaison +61 (0)8 9368 3937