Case study: Langhorne Creek

The Langhorne Creek Wine Industry Council has been a strong advocate for EntWine Australia, and 15 local growers participated in the pilot. Executive officer Lian Jaensch provided the following feedback

Why did Langhorne Creek decide to be involved?

Many growers in Langhorne Creek have participated in the local EMS program to provide orderly management of environmental activities as part of best management practices for their enterprises and to provide evidence of their environmental credentials.

With the introduction of Entwine Australia, the opportunity presents to work with a system that will provide accreditation and which will be recognised nationally and internationally. Given the environmental activities in our region we also felt we could contribute to and inform the development of EntWine Australia and the pilot was a great opportunity to do this.

How important is it for EntWine Australia to be picked up by regional associations in order to ensure greater integrated management?

The most effective environmental/sustainability activity is where work is conducted on a "catchment" or regional scale. Langhorne Creek growers, through the Langhorne Creek Wine Industry Council and Langhorne Creek Wine Grapegrowers' Association, have worked towards regional environmental, biodiversity and climate change objectives. The group has involved and called on resources from the local SA Murray Darling Basin NRM Board, the Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Board and the Angas Bremer Water Management Committee.

Additional to the EMS activity has been Biodiversity Planning and Climate Change Risk Management Planning. It is hoped that the major wine companies, who advise that they will be introducing EntWine Australia to their growers, will work with regional associations, boards and committees.

What was the reaction of the people involved with the pilot?

Generally they accepted it as a manageable system which would provide them with a recognisable certification. Some felt it was not very demanding. Many may include a level of risk management to complement the program, something which has been an integral part of the local Langhorne Creek EMS program.