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Spring / Summer 2018
Aspects of Land
SOIL HEALTH
1
Get a firm measure of soil
health
There is now the
technology to capture a huge
amount of data (for example
pH, organic matter, electro-
conductivity and topography) in
one pass of a field. This information can
be used to create zone maps for optimum
planting, nitrate leaching, nutrient lock
up, water capacity, pH and organic matter,
and integrated into decisions on inputs
and management.
“Knowing where your soil health is now
is key to any strategy for improving it in
the future. If you don’t measure, you can’t
manage,” says Tom.
2
Increase organic matter
The organic matter in
soil allows nutrients to be
utilised by the crop, aids
water retention and drainage
and creates soil with good
structure for root development. It can be
improved in a number of ways, including
management practices such as no-till, the
use of farmyard manures, and rotations
with high residue or cover crops.
Paul Temple of Wold Farm in Driffield,
East Yorkshire is gradually moving to a
no-till system. A mixed beef and arable
business, the farm utilises farmyard
manure and direct drills most crops.
“We have fields now showing organic
matter of almost 8.5%, compared to the
national average of 3%,” he says.
“We view soil as our number one
natural capital, and since starting to make
the move to a no-till system we are more
aware of biological activity that enhances
soil function. Our agronomist has been
impressed by how well the winter crops
look even after such a wet winter.”
3
Reduce run-off and erosion
Soil is a farm’s most valuable
natural resource. Erosion and
run-off can result in valuable
nutrients being lost, as well
as sediments, pesticides and
disease organisms reaching watercourses.
Adjustments to management can have
a significant impact on reducing erosion,
for example grassing natural drainage
pathways and establishing buffer strips.
Changes in cultivation strategy can be
crucial in reducing erosion and creating a
more stable structure.
Research has shown that cover crops
reduce run-off, improve soil structure and
retain nitrogen in the system. Once more
than a third of the ground is covered,
there are substantial benefits.
4
Develop and adopt
new technologies
There has been a surge
in investment in agritech
in recent years, and
this is translating into
improved technologies available at a farm
level. New “on-the-go” soil scanners, such
as the Veris U3, use sensors to deliver
detailed information on a field-by-field
basis, which can then be used to aid
management decisions.
There’s also the prospect of
autonomous vehicles and drones, such
as those used in the Hands Free Hectare
project run at Harper Adams University
in 2017 (see page 14), coming over the
horizon. This envisages a future with
farmers using a fleet of smaller, lighter
vehicles that cause less soil damage.
5
Keep up with education
and training
One of the
Sustainable Soils Alliance’s
eight “soil policy asks” is
to “embed the science and
understanding of soil and
good soil care into the further and higher
education curricula for agriculture and
other land-based courses”. The Alliance is
also working to address the need for
more soil scientists.
“It’s clear that UK agriculture will rely
increasingly on the understanding and
uptake of technology, which will help
deliver key issues such as soil health.
The education of existing and new
generations of farmers is essential to
achieving that,” says Tom.
n
To learn more about improving soil health
on your farm, contact Tom Brunt, Winchester,
01962 857 407,
tbrunt@savills.comKey approaches to healthy soil ~
“There’s a growing realisation
that we need to focus on soil health as part of farming sustainably.
Declining soil health has been a major factor in the levelling off
in yields in recent years, especially where organic matter levels
have significantly declined,”
says Tom Brunt
of Savills Food and
Farming. He gives his key approaches to creating healthy soil:
Use agritech to help improve soil health
GARY NAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY