The Nursery Industry Accreditation Scheme, Australia (NIASA)

Accreditation of nurseries and allied businesses under the NIASA scheme boosts consumer confidence, raises the level of professionalism and increases the industry's profitability.

 

What is the NIASA?	NIASA contacts
The accreditation process	Best Practice' Guidelines
NIASA Coordination
Register of nationally accredited businesses by State:   Victoria NSW NorthernTerritory Queensland South Australia Western Australia Tasmania

 

Introduction to the Nursery Industry Accreditation 
Scheme, Australia

by
David Mathews, past Chairman National Accreditation Committee

Accreditation is a well established business concept that has been used to attract markets and increase levels of consumer confidence for many years.

For instance, how many people would willingly or regularly use dentists, pharmacists, solicitors, accountants, electricians, builders and travel agents if they did not have certification from their industry bodies ?

Recognising a similar need for the nursery and allied trades, nursery industry associations in Australia began the process of developing and implementing accreditation schemes. In October 1993, a national meeting of State and Territory Associations agreed to start a national scheme, the Nursery Industry Accreditation Scheme, Australia (NIASA).

The aims of the Nursery Industry Accreditation Scheme, Australia are -

• improve consumer confidence at all levels of the distribution chain
• improve the profitability of NIASA accredited businesses through the adoption of best practice
• encourage the use of environmentally sound work practices
• encourage the continuous improvement of NIASA accredited businesses
• focus research to critically analyse and implement best practice, and
• promote the benefits of trading with NIASA accredited businesses.

NIASA Accreditation is available to production nurseries and growing media manufacturers. NGIA also is considering a national scheme for retail nurseries.

Accreditation is voluntary, no one is obliged to join. The decision to work towards NIASA Accreditation must be based on an assessment of it’s relevance to your business. There has to be a clear recognition that implementing the Best Practice Guidelines will improve profitability (most commonly by reducing wastage) or provide marketing advantages (for example most government organisations recognise NIASA) or maybe both.

The Nursery & Garden Industry Australia (NGIA) has, through it’s National Accreditation Committee, a coordinating and supervisory role. In particular, it must ensure the Best Practice Guidelines and the Administration Guidelines are applied accurately and fairly by each State or Territory Accreditation Committee and their Technical Officers. The National Accreditation Committee and the Technical Officers Group meet annually to discuss the scheme.

These Guidelines endeavour to describe industry ‘Best Practice’ for production nurseries and manufacturers of growing media. They cover three main areas ; Crop hygiene, Crop management and Site management. No product quality or service quality standards are specified. Where applicable businesses are encouraged to pursue Quality Assurance (e.g. ISO 9002, AHC’s AHQ Training Resource, SQF2000) in addition to NIASA Accreditation as they are complimentary systems.

NGIA and the National Accreditation Committee acknowledges the support of both the Horticultural Research and Development Corporation and the Australian Horticultural Corporation in the development and implementation of this major initiative. The appointment of National and State Nursery Industry Development Officers now provides a base to considerably expand industry participation in NIASA.
 
 

The Accreditation Process

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Nationally, the Accreditation Scheme is coordinated by the following Committee: -