Turf Accreditation Process
The Turf Accreditation Process (TAP) will allow consumer recognition of
excellence in the areas of turf production, environment management and farm
business management. The
way in which farms are managed affects the environment and it is the health of
the environment as a whole that determines the farm’s productivity and
efficiency.
Benefits
of accreditation include;
- Improved
business outcomes for producers. Through identification of inefficient
practices in business, production and environmental management.
- Better
record keeping, planning and reviewing of turf enterprises for
profitability productivity and sustainability.
- Improved
farm management and where necessary monitoring areas of risk and areas
than can improve profitability, productivity and sustainability.
- Move toward
securing the use of natural resources for the turf industry by
demonstrating sound environmental stewardship from producers.
- Reduces the
need for restrictive legislative approaches to land use.
- Improved community
confidence in turf farming. This can also minimise conflict between
farming and neighbouring urban areas.
- Help for
producers to maximise on-farm profitability through best management
practices and sustainable use of our natural resources.
A Guide and Staff to help with Turf Accreditation
The guide book will help producers
understand legal, environmental and quality assurance requirements for turf
production. It describes turf production in terms of farm operations and
business operations, all relevant farm management information is collated in
the one place and topics included in the guide book correspond directly to the
requirements for turf accreditation (TAP). Useful contacts and references, risk
assessment and action planning templates are also included in the guide.
The Turf Accreditation Process is
funded by the Queensland Turf Producers Association (QTPA) and the Department
of Primary Industries & Fisheries (Blueprint
for the Bush program) and will run for three years. The tools and guides
developed will be used past the life of the project and accreditation will
continue to be delivered and enhanced by QTPA post the initial 3 years.
Contact
Claire Ellis is currently
reviewing and developing the Turf Accreditation Process for the Turf industry
in consultation with the QTPA and turf producers. When the process and tools
have been trailed and refined she will deliver them to Turf producers
throughout South East Queensland.