WIREDGOV

Farmers in the South West are being offered a free soil testing kit as part of an initiative to provide advice on soil management.

The Soils for Profit (S4P) Project is managed by Natural England in partnership with Environment Agency and provides support to farmers on ways in which farm profits and the environment can benefit from improved soil management.

Through free on-farm advice, training and demonstration events Soils for Profit provides farmers with a range of advice on how they can reduce costs and benefits the environment through the management and use of soils, nutrients and manures. The project can also help farm businesses comply with Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and cross compliance requirements and signpost to sources of funding and advice including Environmental Stewardship and the Resource Efficiency for Farmers project.

Farmers in the South West region who register with Soils for Profit will receive a soil kit allowing up to five soil samples to be analysed. Results will be sent to a Soils for Profit adviser who will provide tailored soil and nutrient advice as part of an on-farm visit. The adviser will also produce a written action plan to identify what actions will deliver the greatest economic and environmental returns for the farm.

Steve Marston, Soils for Profit Project Manager said: ‘‘Soil analysis is the latest addition to our package of specialised advice and we are piloting the use of the soil testing kit to complement our existing guidance to farmers.  This will enable us to offer more individualised advice and demonstrate nutrient budgeting specific to the farm. Appropriate soil and nutrient management is a vital part of every farm business, so this is a great opportunity to get some free, expert advice, and I would encourage farmers to get in contact to request a farm visit.’’

Since the project launched in October 2009 advisers have visited almost 1,500 farmers, managing approximately 300,000 hectares of land across the South West.

Adam Brown who operates a poultry and arable farm at Fenny Bridges near Honiton, Devon said: “My free Soils for Profit visit was very beneficial as it highlighted particular areas on my farm that were of a higher risk in terms of compaction, run-off and erosion, which helped me to match the cropping to the land capabilities.”   

To request a free Soils for Profit farm advisory visit and soil analysis pack or for further info on the project call: 0300 060 1244 or email soils4profit@naturalengland.org.uk

The Soils for Profit Project is one element of the South West Agricultural Resource Management (SWARM) initiative which is open to all farming businesses in the region with over 5 hectares of land. SWARM is designed to help farmers have more profitable and resilient businesses by managing resources more efficiently whilst reducing the impact of their activities on the environment.

Over one hundred Soils for Profit farmer training and demonstration events are planned during autumn and winter across the South West. These will cover a variety of topics including soil management and machinery, advice on Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and the PLANET computer system. Further details about these events will be available soon on the Natural England website www.naturalengland.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

For further information (media enquiries only), please contact: Christine White, Natural England press office on 0300 0601302 or 07900 608017

For out of hours queries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07970 098005

For further information about Natural England please visit: www.naturalengland.org.uk

Additional Notes

South West Agricultural Resource Management (SWARM) is a collaboration between Defra RDPE Delivery team, the Environment Agency, Natural England and Business Link and is funded through the Rural Development Programme for England which includes money from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and Defra.

About Natural England

Natural England is the government’s independent adviser on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.

• We establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved.

• We work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Marine Conservation Zones, and advising widely on their conservation.

• We run Environmental Stewardship and other green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland.

• We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats.

• We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.