Agricultural lime should always be regarded as a valuable soil conditioner. It acts to enhance the availability of potash and phosphate in soils with low pH values.
Michael Hennessy, head of Crops Knowledge Transfer at Teagasc, has also confirmed that the impact of lime is complex and should be assessed over a five-year period.
“When viewed within a much shorter period of time, the addition of lime can add to enhanced greenhouse gas emission levels. However, the longer term benefits of lime usage are immense.
“Essentially, the regular use of the soil conditioner will help to deliver competitive crop and grass yields with a reduced reliance on nitrogen fertiliser.”
The Teagasc representative continued:
“Although many tillage farmers are diligent about testing soils for nutrient status, the follow-up action of applying lime, one of the most essential elements for crop growth, can often be slower than necessary.”
Agricultural lime
While the cost of lime has risen like other inputs, it remains one of the most wortwhile investments, ensuring that nutrients are used efficiently.
Growers should check their soils over the next few weeks to determine if additional lime is needed.
“In many cases, lime may only be required in certain areas of a field rather than across the entire field,” Hennessy added.
Meanwhile, most grain buyers have now announced their 2024 harvest prices.
In addition, the last fortnight has seen most farmers receiving part of their BISS and Eco Scheme payments, while others have received partial ACRES payments.
“Tax planning will be on the minds of many as the tax deadline approaches in mid-November.
“During this time, farmers and their accountants will focus on minimising tax payments to maximise the value derived from farm income.
“It might be tempting for some farmers to invest in more machinery to reduce their tax bill.
“But having a significant tax bill in any particular year, though it may not be this year, is not an ideal starting point for such investments,” he outlined.
Hennessy added that before meeting with their accountants, “farmers should gather as much information as possible about areas on the farm where necessary expenditures can yield long-term benefits”.
“This will enable them to ask more specific questions about how to reduce their overall tax liability.
“Obvious areas such as pensions, adequate wages for family members, and other tax-saving measures should all be considered before thinking about machinery purchases,” he explained.