AGRIBUSINESS company EE Muir & Sons has received international recognition for its commitment to assist growers achieve environmental sustainability.
Established in 1927, the Mildura-based fertiliser, chemical and seed distributor was recently announced the winner of the Environmental Respect Award for the Asia-Pacific region.
The Environmental Respect Award is awarded to companies that have displayed outstanding initiative and are leading examples of what it takes to make the world a safer, cleaner place in which to live and work.
The competition has been running since 1990 and is sponsored by Corteva AgriScience (formerly DuPont Crop Protection) to honour retailers and distributors worldwide for their demonstrated environmental stewardship.
EE Muir & Sons regional manager, Danny Thornton, said the importance of being environmentally sustainable was critical for the future of agriculture.
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“My father was employed by the Victorian Department of Agriculture for 21 years as a grower advisor in pest management,” he said.
“It was entrenched, at an early age, in me that we need to grow healthy produce to survive and, and we need to look after our resources.”
This included managing water and soil health and reducing chances of off-target damage with the wide range of products used in the agricultural industry.
“Education of growers is enormously important,” Mr Thornton said.
“Most growers are dealing with a range of issues on-farm and our business seeks to assist them in providing the most targeted solutions that assist in both sustainable farming practices and environmental protection.”
To help guide grower customers on a path of environmental stewardship, EE Muir & Sons works closely with Matt Strmiska, of Adaptiv, from Fresno in the United States.
Mr Strmiska visits Australia regularly to provide spray application training workshops.
The education also stresses efficient application to limit fuel and machinery use, which means less compaction on soil, less dust and less soil drift.
- Danny Thornton, EE Muir & Sons
“The workshops assist growers across a number of areas,” Mr Thornton said.
“It includes advice and demonstrations to maximise on-target application of products. These techniques help prevent wastage and potential off-target damage or MRL issues in other crops or pastures.
“The education also stresses efficient application to limit fuel and machinery use, which means less compaction on soil, less dust and less soil drift.”
The workshops are also now run in conjunction with key R&D companies, including Corteva AgriScience.
Mr Thornton said while the number of producers in Australia diminished each year, those enterprises that are left are becoming larger.
“The impact on each farm to get things right or wrong can be enormous. As a company EE Muir & Sons are committed to helping our grower customers be environmentally sustainable and profitable in the long-term.”
“It is a step-by-step process to help them along that way. It is something our business is committed to and looks forward to every day.”
Edward Eric Muir established this business in 1927 at the Victoria Market in Melbourne and E. E. Muir & Sons now have stores throughout Australia.
