Soils
Protecting and improving farm soils can make your business more profitable
Correct soil management and targeted nutrient use are essential to maximise agricultural efficiency and minimise losses to the environment. If mis-managed, both soils and organic and inorganic nutrients can lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and diffuse pollution risks affecting surrounding water quality.
- Soils are made up from the weathering of underlying rock or glacial/river deposits and take thousands of years to form.
- A teaspoon of healthy soil contains billions of bacteria, kilometres of fungi and thousands of microscopic animals.
- Growing cover crops can increase soil organic matter, protect from soil erosion, improve soil structure and potentially reduce fertiliser costs.
Find out more in the Valuing Your Soils booklet – practical guidance for Scottish farmers.
Publications






News
Soil & Nutrient Network: Case Study – Bielgrange, East Lothian
Soil & Nutrient Network: Case Study – Bielgrange, East Lothian
read more >Calculating the nutrient value of organic fertilisers
The aim of this guide is to help farmers to evaluate more accurately the potential nutrient value supplied to crops from organic fertilisers such as livestock slurries and manures. This…
read more >Soil health – why and how?
October 12, 2018Uist Soil & Nutrient Network: 1st meeting – event summary
September 20, 2018Orkney Soil & Nutrient Network: 1st meeting event summary
August 20, 2018Grassland webinars
August 15, 2018Ayrshire Soil & Nutrient Network: 1st meeting event summary
August 8, 2018Upcoming Events
Feb
Ayrshire Soil & Nutrient Network: 2nd event – Counting the value of slurry
SAC Consulting, JF Niven Building read more >Feb
Digestate: The facts – Moray
The Mill House Hotel read more >Feb
Campbeltown Soil & Nutrient Network – 2nd Meeting
Cairnbaan Hotel read more >Feb
Getting Greener Grass: How to make the most of the grazing season (Lockerbie) – A Soil Association event
Dryfesdale Country House Hotel read more >Sign up to the FAS newsletter
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