One of the more enjoyable aspects of my new role with NGIQ is visiting production nurseries, meeting old friends and making new ones. So far, Steve Hart and I have visited at least 80 nurseries in SEQ, discussing the benefits of EcoHort™ (the nursery industry environmental management system) and NIASA (our best management practice system).

When setting up a growing area, the way the beds are constructed has a great bearing on the efficiency of use and the longevity of the beds. The aim in building a good nursery growing area is to create a stable surface that disposes of drainage water as quickly as possible. This minimises water pooling and allows for efficient collection of water for recycling or reuse.

Constructing growing beds to the standard recognised and encouraged under the nursery industry best management practice program, NIASA, provides significant benefits in the production of quality containerised nursery stock.

Constructing growing benches to the standard recognised and encouraged under the nursery industry best management practice program, NIASA, provides a range of significant benefits to assist in the production of quality containerised nursery stock.

There has been a proliferation of ‘green marketing’ claims from all sorts of companies over the past few years. These campaigns have included airlines claiming to offset the emissions from your flight by planting trees, car insurance companies promising to help you offset your vehicles emissions and even cars companies attempting to sell ‘Carbon Neutral’ cars! Environmental claims can be an incredibly powerful marketing tool. Naturally there are many in our industry who feel we should be jumping on this ‘green wash’ bandwagon and trumpeting the many Carbon Offset benefits of our products and industry. Previous articles have suggested we think carefully before we leap into similar campaigns for our industry. It is so easy to say ‘we are green’; the reality is it is much harder to ‘back it up’ with credible science to substantiate our case.

There has been a great deal of media coverage about Professor Garnaut and his proposal for establishing a comprehensive Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) here in Australia by 2010. Whilst the issue of ‘Carbon Trading’ is not new, the recommendations that the scheme encompass ‘everyone’ has ‘everyone’ worried. So what role does the Nursery Industry play in an ETS?

Most people are now aware of the issue of ‘Climate Change’. The 2007 federal election campaign and subsequent media coverage leaves no doubt it is one of the major impacts facing Agriculture in Australia over the coming decades. The groundswell of interest and demand for action internationally shows ‘Climate Change’ is no longer just a ‘fluffy’ statement when the very future of the planet is at stake.

One of the more enjoyable aspects of my role with NGIQ is visiting production nurseries, meeting old friends and making new ones. So far I have visited at over 70 nurseries in SEQ, discussing the benefits of EcoHort™ (the production nursery environmental management system) and NIASA (our best management practice program). The response has been overwhelmingly positive from those who have taken the time to discuss and consider the opportunities that may exist through gaining environmental certification.

Disinfestation of the various equipment and surfaces used in a production nursery form the basis of sound hygiene practices. Disinfestation procedures should be an integral part of all nursery growing processes, with regular reviews being carried out to ensure practices are being implemented correctly. The following outlines recommended disinfestation procedures for nursery equipment and surfaces.

My first EcoHort™ site assessments have proved positive for the businesses concerned. Participation in an environmental management system is not about achieving some unreasonable benchmark; it is about analysing the current environmental performance of your business and identifying a list of priority areas for continual improvement. As a Farm Management System Officer, it is then my role to work with each operator to establish an action plan for the coming few years.

My first EcoHort™ site assessments have proved positive for the businesses concerned. Participation in an environmental management system is not about achieving some unreasonable benchmark; it is about analyzing the current environmental performance of your business and identifying a list of priority areas for continual improvement. As a Farm Management System Officer, it is then my role to work with each operator to establish an action plan for the coming few years.

EcoHort™ is the Environmental Management System for Production Nurseries and Growing Media Manufactures within the Australian Nursery Industry. The eighteen participants of the July EcoHort™ workshop held at Kallangur received a wealth of information to enable those operators to implement the EcoHort™ program in their business operations. The participants who attended the one day workshop will receive on farm visits over the coming weeks to provide further assistance with their natural resource management and environmental issues.

While energy efficiency in pumping systems is an important component in reducing energy costs, the cost of electricity must also be factored in, as there can be significant cost savings made by being on the most appropriate tariff and energy plans.
The comparison of tariffs and energy plans is complex, with different companies offering different incentives and different rates. Thorough investigation of the options available is necessary to prevent higher overall energy costs.

This article discusses the results of energy audits conducted by NGIQ for the QFF Energy Savers Plus Program Extension (ESPPE) funded by the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.

This webinar is part of the QFF Energy Savers Plus Program Extension (ESPPE) funded by the Queensland Government. It presents a brief overview of the findings across the whole program, with guest host, David Hunt from NGIQ, presenting an overview of the Nursery industry and findings from recent energy audits. David further discusses in detail propagation heating system types and discusses options to increase energy efficiency while reducing the costs of heating systems

Fertigation is the application of dissolved fertilisers to nursery crops through an irrigation system. This process provides the opportunity to:
? manage nutrient availability throughout the production cycle,
? supplement fertiliser supplied in the growing media,
? manipulate plant growth,
? alter the fertiliser program during the growing season,
? correct any nutrient deficiencies.