More farmers measure soil organic content

Almost one in five farmers now test their soil for organic matter content – with more growers recognising the importance of carbon sequestration.

Nearly 90% of farmers undertake some form of soil assessment, with 78% of those using three or more methods and 6% using six or more methods, according to a survey conducted on behalf of beef processor ABP and supermarket Asda.

Testing is usually conducted to quantify soil acidity, phosphate, potassium and magnesium levels. But more than 17% of respondents said they test for organic matter, with 8% counting earthworms and 6% measuring soil carbon.

Soil nutrients

The results suggest livestock farmers are increasingly concerned about the importance of balanced soil nutrients – and keen to understand the balance within their soil, including soil carbon indices and its ability to mitigate climate change.

ABP agricultural projects manager Liz Ford said: “Looking after soil correctly can minimise nutrient input requirements and extend the grazing season by improving the pasture’s resilience to drought and reducing flood risk.

“Earthworm populations are indicative of soil health and can be monitored by digging small field pits and counting the species of worms at different depths. We are pleased to see that some farmers are already doing this.”

The voluntary survey of 250 farmers sought to demonstrate their commitment to improving biodiversity. It found that the combined length of hedgerow managed on their farms stretched to more than 1,900km.

One respondent reported more than 80km of hedgerow on his farm, with the average farm supporting 8km of hedgerow. More than half of those surveyed had recently planted an average of 869m of hedgerow each.

Farmers were also asked to rate the importance of biodiversity to their farm using a score of one to ten, with one not important and ten very important. The average score was 7.63, with nearly 20% of farmers scoring it a 10.