A new RIRDC report has been released:-

Drivers of regional agritourism and food tourism in Australia

Publication date: 01 Oct 2010

Agritourism and food tourism have been a part of the rural and agricultural landscape in Australia for some time. Recently there have been more coordinated regional approaches to agritourism and food tourism as a strategy for growth and improving the resilience of individual businesses or rural communities. In this context, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry requested this study to improve understanding of the drivers and barriers to regional agritourism and food tourism in Australia. 'Regional agritourism and food tourism' refers to the act of going to a region to visit a working farm or other, farm or food-related business (including restaurants, markets, produce outlets and natural attractions) for enjoyment, education, or active participation in activities and events.



http://tinyurl.com/25etd4e

Exploring the Relationship Between Community Resilience & Irrigated Agriculture in the MDB:

Judith Stubbs Final report
Social and Economic Impacts of Reduced Irrigation Water

This report builds on and applies the first three stages of the study, Exploring the Relationship
Between Community Resilience & Irrigated Agriculture in the MDB,1 to address the following research
questions:
• What are likely to be the social and economic impacts of changes in agricultural
production due to permanent reductions in irrigation water for different types of
communities at different geographic scales?
• What factors are likely to mitigate or exacerbate impacts arising from a permanent
reduction in irrigation water?
• How might communities be assisted to respond to such changes?

The report includes case studies for the following communities

1: Balonne Shire, QLD Case Study
2: Bourke Shire, NSW Case Study
3 : Campaspe Case Study
4: Dalby-Wambo QLD Case Study
5: Griffith, NSW Case Study
6: Mildura Rural City Case Study
7: Moree Plains, NSW Case Study
8: City of Murray Bridge, SA Case Study

Economic, Environmental and Social Sustainability Report

Expectations for industries to manage resources in a sustainable manner raise the question of how industries can demonstrate their sustainability credentials. This thesis reviews the question of sustainability monitoring and reporting in relation to the Australian cotton industry. Principals of sustainability reporting in business and agriculture were reviewed.
A set of sustainability indicators has been developed and economic, environmental and social data compiled. A specific analysis of the cotton industry’s environmental management system, the Cotton Best Management Practices program was completed to investigate its potential to track and report farm management practice change over a 10 year period.