EMS in Agriculture Links
- Through a cooperative agreement of state agencies and with assistance from
the US EPA, North Carolina's Division of Pollution Prevention and
Environmental Assistance is developing an EMS
program for Pork producers in that state.
- Project
XL includes an initiative involving water officials
from different states, environmental groups, US EPA
and the United Egg Producers in developing a
comprehensive program to help participating facilities achieve
“superior environmental performance” by implementing an
environmental management system (EMS) through a general permit issued by
individual States or U.S. EPA.
- The National
Agriculture Compliance Assistance Center at the US Environmental
Protection Agency hosts a web page on EMS in agriculture, offering
publications and links.
- The Institute
for Environmental Research and Education (IERE) supports projects
on ISO 14001 and has developed a "Farm-Based EMS" as part of
its sustainable agriculture program.
General EMS & ISO 14001
- The Multi-State
Working Group on Environmental Management Systems (MSWG) is a
broad, multi-stakeholder body that regularly assembles government,
non-government, business and academic parties to explore
innovative and systematic approaches to environmental protection,
enhancement and restoration.
- ISO - International Organization for Standardization, http://www.iso.org, the source for ISO 14001, with useful information on the standard.
- This US Environmental Protection Agency's EMS web
page contains links to key information about EPA's efforts to develop policies and
related materials about environmental management systems, especially for
federal agencies.
- The North Carolina Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental
Assistance offers an Environmental Management Systems Home Page hosted by the
offers background information, tools and case studies.
- Cleaner
Production.com includes web pages on EMS with examples and
tools for EMS development, as well more general information on
sustainable business.
- The Pacific Institute a non-profit
group researching environment, sustainable development, and international security
has an International
NGO Network on ISO offering information on the development and
impacts of the ISO 14001 EMS standard to ensure that any
ISO-created environmental standards serve the public interest and
protect the environment.
- ECOLOGIA
and its partners are working with enterprises in transition
economies as they start to use EMSs to improve their environmental
performance. ECOLOGIA also encourages and facilitates NGO
involvement in the ISO standard through its website clearing house
of information about EMS standards development.
- NSF International. 1996.
"Environmental Management Systems: An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized
Organizations" was developed by NSF International in
1996.
- The North American
Commission for Environmental Cooperation's "Law and
Policy" program has developed a project on EMS: "Environmental
Management Systems to Promote Compliance and Environmental
Performance"
- The ISO Information
Center offers resources and training tools for ISO14000.
- New Mexico's Green Zia Environmental Excellence Program supports businesses in
identifying and reducing their waste stream and other losses in a
management approach similar to an EMS.
International EMS
- New Zealand’s Ministry
of Agriculture and Forestry offers resources on EMS in
Agriculture, including "The Role of On-Farm Quality Assurance and Environmental Management Systems (QA/EMS) in Achieving Sustainable Agriculture and Sustainable Land Management
Outcomes."
- Australia's
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry program provides support for
EMS, including a
National
Pilot Program on EMS and an EMS
national training kit for interested landholders.
- The International Institute for Sustainable Development offers several resources for understanding the role of ISO 14000 in environment and trade, including their report,
"Global Green
Standards".
- INEM, the
International Network for Environmental
Management, is a non-profit world federation of national associations for environmental management and sustainable development. Their website offers case studies, tools, publications, and contact information for members from countries around the world.
Papers on Environmental Management Systems
- International
Standards for Environmental Management Systems: Their Implications
for North American Agriculture." Paper presented by
Ellen Wall at the Annual Meetings for the Rural Sociological
Society, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Aug. 12-16, 1997 and the North
American Farming systems Research and Extension Association
Conference "Food and Natural Resource Systems: integrating
Diversity, Action, and People", Nov. 2-5, 1997.
- Will business-led environmental initiatives grow in agriculture? by Sandra S. Batie and David E. Ervin.
Choices. (4th Qtr) 1998:4-10.
Many businesses are searching for pollution prevention management
strategies,
motivated by a variety of factors such as liability concerns, public image, cost-savings, consumer
demands, pressure group demands, and the desire to reduce uncertainty to examine their whole production
and distribution system with environmental audits.
- Adding Value through Environmental Marketing: Opportunities for Food Producers, Processors and
Retailers. Conference held December 6-7, 2000. Madison,
Wisconsin. Online proceedings include several presentations on EMS in agriculture,.
See also, ISO 14000 and AGRICULTURE: Incomplete Bibliography, compiled in connection with the
conference.
Assessment Tools
- Farm*A*Syst, a system of step-by-step factsheets and worksheets to help you to identify
and assess behaviors and practices associated with environmental risk.
- The Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship
curriculum, producer-targeted educational materials and supporting
activities, was developed by a team of 30 Land Grant University, NRCS and ARS
cooperators.
- The National Center for Agricultural
Law conducts research and analysis and provides up-to-date information for farmers and others
needing information on agricultural regulations.
- Natural
Resources Conservation Service’s Conservation and Planning
Assistance web-page, provides guidance on the planning process
the NRCS uses to help develop, implement, and evaluate
conservation plans for individuals, and area-wide conservation
plans or assessments for groups.
- The Stream Corridor Restoration
Handbook was produced by the collective experience, skills, and technology of 15 Federal
agencies of the United States government for those interested in restoring the functions and values of the nation's stream corridors.
- Cotton
Australia and other industry partners have developed a Best
Management Practices self-assessment program, which includes an external "Industry Certification"
audit.
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