Environmental considerations are becoming increasingly important in how food is produced, traded internationally, marketed and sold in retail outlets. This recognition of sustainability and globalisation imperatives has:- • in a global context, underpinned the rising development and use of voluntary approaches to environmental management in agriculture and rural industries that are based on a diversity of environmental standards, guidelines and protocols;
in a domestic context, driven industry and government coinvestments in environmental management systems1 (EMS) implementation in Australian agriculture.
This report is a synthesis of the current state-of-play surrounding voluntary (non-legislated) standards-based approaches to environmental management in agriculture known as voluntary
environmental management arrangements (VEMAs).