The session Abi spoke at aimed to bring to light the proactive work farmers and growers are doing to improve soil health, as well as the benefits of good soil management.
The panel included Richard Anthony, vice chair of NFU Cymru Combinable Crops Working Group, and Non Williams, Carbon Specialist Officer at Farming Connect.
“Healthy soils provide the basis for all food production, with farmers caring deeply about their soil.”
Abi Reader
Soil health is in good hands
Despite the gloomy nature of headlines such as ‘100 harvests left’ and ‘We can only ignore the soil crisis for so long’, Abi began by pointing out that 80% of Welsh land area is farmed. Research shows that agricultural soils remain in good condition and are low risk of degradation under current agricultural management.
Additionally, 10-15% of Welsh land area is classed as best and most versatile (BMV), emphasising farmers’ critical role in stewarding soil health and hard work to ensure their soil is of high quality.
The importance of soil
Healthy soil not only underpins farming systems, but it can also help to deliver a diverse range of public goods for society – helping to enhance water quality, supporting habitats and biodiversity, enabling carbon storage, increasing resilience to climate change, and mitigating against flooding.
“Healthy soil provides the basis for all food production, with farmers caring deeply about their soil.”
Abi went on to emphasise it’s in farmers’ interest to maintain healthy soils and ensure long-term fertility and productivity. Abi paid testament to farmers having long recognised the importance of soil and the industry’s focus on its quality and chemical properties.
How farmers contribute to healthy soils
Recent years have seen a rising interest in, and wider adoption of, practices designed to enhance soil health.
This includes the use of techniques such as reduced tillage - which helps to ensure the soil is not overworked and damaged, cover cropping to reduce soil erosion and replenish nutrients essential for crop growth, and the use of low-impact machinery to reduce soil compaction.
The Sustainable Farming Scheme, the new long-term programme to support the agricultural industry in Wales from 2026, includes a number of actions to improve soil quality. The scheme will support farmers to undertake actions that improve soil quality such as: Soil Health Planning, Integrated Pest Management, and Habitat Maintenance.
The benefits of good soil management
Richard Anthony, a tenant farmer with 3,000 acres of arable/grassland with a flock of 800 ewes, shared his experience of improving soil health. He stated that since his focus on soil management began, he has seen yields increase by 25-30% and earthworm population tenfold.
Richard found that soil structure and fertility on his farm have been improved through no-till direct drilling, minimum tillage, cover crops and companion planting. He stated that these help contribute to a healthy soil that naturally provides for his crops. As well as increasing soil organic matter, these approaches help deter flea beetles - insecticides haven’t been used for three years - and pigeons.
Richard explained that due to his favouring of natural solutions over chemical inputs, it has resulted in a healthy soil rich in biodiversity and wildlife on his farm.
Richard ended with his willingness to invest in on-farm trials aimed at improving soil health. However, he stated this can be very costly for the farmer, and there should be more support given to improve soils on-farm given how important they are.
Looking to the future
Concluding, the panel highlighted that, “there is a growing need for the world of soil science to connect itself more closely with farms and turn theory into proven practice.”
Looking ahead, both Abi and Richard acknowledged that soil is an extremely complex system with much to be learned on a practical scale. However, more must be done in this area of research, with the findings converted into practical on-farm actions that can further increase soil health whilst obtaining food security.