SAMsn Launches Web Tool

Tuesday, 29 June 2004, 11:20 am
Press Release: Federated Farmers

A four-year project combining resources of 37 agricultural and horticultural industry groups this week culminates in the launch of a web-based tool to encourage sustainable farming.

The project is dubbed SAMsn or the Sustainable Agriculture/Horticulture Management Systems Network. SAMSn was set up amid industry concern about the proliferation of on-farm environmental management and quality assurance programmes.

The project identifies the commonalities of New Zealand’s environmental management systems and quality assurance programmes currently in use in agriculture and horticulture. The resulting research report “The SAMsn Initiative: Advancing Sustainable Management Systems in Agriculture and Horticulture" led to the identification of a need for an information hub of resources.

The information hub in the form of a web page www.samsn.org.nz will help industries decide whether a sustainable management tool is needed for their business and, if so, the components they need to consider for their system.

Speakers at the launch are Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton, Graham Fraser, a special agricultural trade envoy, and Dr Morgan Williams, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. There will be a demonstration and presentation of the webpage along with the opportunity for an interactive session. Media are welcome to attend.

Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) and MAF's Sustainable Farming Fund are partners in the project, which is supported by 35 other agricultural and horticultural groups.

When/Where: WEDNESDAY, June 30. Rangimarie room, level 3, Te Papa, Wellington.

Agenda: 10:35: Address by Hon Jim Sutton, Agriculture Minister. 10:45: Project overview. 11:00: Address by Graham Frazier, special agricultural trade envoy. 11:15: Presentation of web page. 12:00: Questions and answers. 12:20: Address by Morgan Williams, Commissioner of the Environment. 12:30: SAMsn - the next steps.

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