Delivering Our Future, Valuing Our Soils: A Sustainable Agricultural Land Management Strategy for Northern Ireland
Read the full reportWith less than 10% of Northern Ireland's farmland having up-to-date soil analysis and 64% of soils not at optimum pH, the report recommends a publicly funded GPS soil sampling survey to guide a four-year nutrient management plan. Enhancing soil health through precision nutrient application, efficient slurry management, and sustainable land practices is crucial for achieving greater profitability, better environmental performance, and improved biodiversity.
Key findings
Less than 10% of Northern Ireland farmland has an up-to-date soil analysis and 64% of soils are not at optimum pH. The report recommends that a publicly funded GPS soil sampling and analysis survey of all agricultural land is undertaken with results provided directly to farmers.
Support should be provided to translate the soil analysis results into a four year nutrient management plan.
Healthy soils require good management to ensure that Northern Ireland farmland delivers its potential for greater profitability and better environmental performance. Improved soil health will be achieved by:
- The appropriate application of lime to optimise the pH of agricultural land in Northern Ireland
- Prioritising fields at lower phosphorus (P) levels for nutrient application
- Precision application of nutrient within fields using GPS technologies
- A significant increase in the proportion of slurries and manures applied using efficient methods such as trailing shoe, band spreading or shallow injection
- More analysis of slurries and manures to complete the calculation of correct nutrient application rates
- Research into whether slurries and manures can be treated to allow safer and more biosecure redistribution between farms
- Research into whether technology such as soil potentiometers and thermometers can facilitate the application of nutrient by soil conditions, rather than calendar date
- Capital support to separate P from slurries and manures on farms which cannot sustainably spread their nutrient to land A
Series of key features for sustainable land management:
- Achieving sustainable profits per hectare;
- Good nutrient management leading to greater utilisation of higher quality grass and silage;
- Production of more diverse swards with greater proportions of legumes to help extend the grazing season while improving soil structure, carbon and biology;
- Properly located woody riparian strips in overland flow pathways to reduce nutrient and sediment loss to waterways to improve biological water quality;
- Woody biofiltration blocks, placed downhill of farmyards and at discharges to septic tanks to capture “grey water” and reduce the risk of nutrient leakage;
- Appropriate agro forestry planting on grassland farms to extend the grazing season while improving biodiversity and carbon sequestration and providing renewable fuel;
- Woodland barriers between farms to improve biosecurity and herd health while increasing biodiversity and carbon sequestration; and • Strategic planting of trees around intensive livestock units to reduce ammonia drift resulting in nitrogen deposition on sensitive environmental sites.
Recommendations for policy implementation
- Support farmers on nutrient management planning, encouraging precision farming.
- Improve slurry and manures management.
- Encourage sustainable land management practices.
- Encourage agro forestry and woodland barriers.