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MEMBERSHIPWhat support do ALM Group members get? The ALM Group has members in most Australian states and looks to expand its membership nationally. Members are committed to environmental improvement and are using ALMCS to help them do this. As an ALM Group member you will have the support of a not-for-profit organisation that has been built from the ground up by landholders. The ALM Group has three categories of landholder membership; Eucalyptus, Banksia and Grevillea. The different categories of membership enable the ALM Group to cater for the varying aspirations and requirements of landholders. However, all membership categories require landholders to implement a continuous improvement cycle, as this is the basis for recognition and reward. The ALM membership categories differ mainly on who does the auditing and the rigour and cost of the auditing. Eucalyptus membership.These members have participated in an ALMCS Training Clinic, have had their ALMCS plan certified by an ALMCS accredited auditor and have paid their ALMCS Eucalyptus membership fee. Banksia membership. Banksia members have met all the system requirements applying to ALMS Eucalyptus membership and are exchanging information with the catchment authority in the region. They have also passed an ALMCS Banskia audit and paid the ALMCS Banksia membership fee. Grevillea membership.These members have met all the requirements of ALMCS Banskia membership, are ISO 14001 certified and have paid the ALMCS Grevillea membership fee. There are two other membership categories. The Subscriber category is for individuals who wish to support the ALM Group by contributing their skills and/or resources and the Partnership category is for organisations that partner with the ALM Group for the support of their landholder members within their catchment or industry group. What support do ALM Group members get?ALM Group members and ALM Group partners are supported by the ALM Group through:
Becoming an ALM Group memberWe’ve made becoming a member of ALM as flexible as we can, and we try to ensure training and audit support arrangements suit your particular requirements. Generally, however, you become an ALM Group member in the following way: Initiation. Individual landholders, or preferably a group of landholders, contact the ALM Group. Alternatively, landholders complete an ALM membership application form (download form here). Introduction. If required, a representative of the ALM Group will meet with the landholder group and representatives of local support organisations to present and discuss what is involved in being an ALM member, what are the benefits and costs and, importantly, what the landholders wish to achieve through becoming ALM members. Financial and other support. The ALM Group will help you obtain financial and/or technical support for the ALMCS training and/or for on-ground works identified as high priority through the ALMCS planning processes. Logistics and data. The ALM Group works with landholders, local support organisations and accredited ALMCS trainers/auditors to organise appropriate training activities. ALMCS Clinic. Landholders work with the ALMCS accredited trainer/auditor over about 20 hours during a three-day ALMCS Clinic or two x two-day ALMCS clinics about two weeks apart. At the end of this training period each landholder will have developed an ALMCS Plan and the trainer/auditor will have checked that it complies with all the ALM Group membership requirements. From that point the landholder has a certified ALMCS Plan and is admitted as an ALM Group member in the appropriate ALMCS membership category, most usually as an ALMCS Eucalyptus member. ALM Group members are provided with an ALMCS gate sign and a membership certificate. Implementation. The critical and ongoing next step of course is the actual implementation of the ALMCS Plan as it has been developed by each landholder. The ALM Group will do whatever possible to assist in this implementation but essentially this is where the support of local existing catchment and industry organisations, Landcare coordinators and advisers/consultants is most critical. ALMCS Review & Renew Workshop. Within 6 to 12 months of having had their ALCMS Plan certified about one third of the landholder group will have their ALMCS Plan subject to an on-farm ALMCS compliance audit after which all the ALM Group members in that group participate in a one and a half to two day ALMCS Review & Renew workshop. For benefits of being an ALM Group Member see here. More about membership
Want to know more about ALM Group? Download the ALM Guide If you are interested in becoming an ALM member contact ALM or complete the application form. Partner members negotiate a nominal annual registration fee and are able to use myEMS to collate generic information about landholder members of those organisations who are also ALM members. All information related to an ALM member’s activities is considered to be the property of that landholder and access is governed by the landholder.
To become an ALM Partner or ALM Subscriber contact the ALM Group. The initial development and testing of ALMCS was supported by landcare groups in southern Queensland, by the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee Inc. and by Meat and Livestock Australia. The development of the software program, myEMS, was supported by FarmBis Australia, the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee Inc., Synapse Research & Consulting Pty Ltd, Duffield Grosser Pty Ltd and the ALMS Group. Subsequent testing of myEMS was supported also by NHT, many landholders and in-kind inputs from the ALMS Group.
Since mid-2006 the ALM Group has been generously supported by Elders through the national Landcare Farming Systems Program. The Elders-ALM Group partnership reflects a common vision for Australia to have a certified, recognised and auditable land management system that is viable for farmers/producers, that is dynamic and effective and that delivers environmental outcomes. Substantial in-kind inputs continue to be provided by the ALM Group Board and Selwyn Heilbron Pty Ltd. Other inputs have been received from the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation, Hi-Fert Pty Ltd, National Foods Strategy Pty Ltd and Metcash. The ALM Group has or is negotiating partnerships with:
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