Outline the Importance of the Crop to Australia’s Economy
Australia’s wine industry has evolved over the last 200 years from a small collection of plants introduced by early settlers to an internationally recognised wine producer, known for its quality, variety and innovation. Our climate and soils provide beneficial growing conditions to allow growth in over 60 wine regions.
Australian wine production has a significant contribution to the Australian economy. This benefit however is not limited to only exports worldwide, but has many flow on effects within the economy. This incorporates the growing, production, associated tourism, domestic employment as well as the inputs of numerous small businesses that supply goods and services required for
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Generally, biodynamic viticultural practices have a smaller impact on CO2 emissions compared to traditional based practices relying on large levels of synthetic pesticides, fungicides and fertilisers, irrigation and machinery.
Most wineries have the ability to lower their carbon footprint in the areas of:
– Packaging, in particular production of glasses bottles
– Vineyard field emission i.e. the use of nitrogen fertiliser and machinery
– Distribution of wine, i.e. transportation
– Electricity usage
Organic farming is not limited to just minimising greenhouse-gas emissions. Organic techniques offer some substantial environmental benefits such as supporting a thriving ecosystem of bugs, insects and birds. By choosing organic methods of farming, vintners are supporting the local wildlife biome as they are minimising the contamination or interruption of the lifecycle of the local species. This includes avoiding chemical fertilisers, pesticides and fungicides and choosing natural fertilisers such as animal