Approval letters for the Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme are expected to issue to farmers who applied, this week.
Today (Tuesday, December 5), Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, Minister of State with responsibility for research, Martin Heydon, and Minister of State for land use and biodiversity, Pippa Hackett, have highlighted the importance of healthy soils on World Soil Day.
This year’s theme is ‘Soil and Water: a source of life’.
Minister McConalogue commented: “There is a precious link between soil and water and with over 95% of our food originating from the soil, and the relationship with water is the foundation of our agricultural production.”
Soil sampling
Minister McConalogue announced that approval letters for phase two of the Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme will issue to 7,000 farmers this week.
The programme aims to provide valuable information to farmers to inform decisions that promote the health of their soils and is aimed at putting soil health, soil fertility and soil carbon at the centre of the future agricultural model.
Minister McConalogue said: “I am delighted to see progress with the programme and I wish our new partner the Irish Soil Expert Consortium well in the delivery of the sampling, analysis and provision of approximately 90,000 soil sample results to our farmers.”
To mark World Soil Day, Minister Pippa Hackett recently took the opportunity to visit Thomas, Florence and David Fennelly’s dairy farm near Emo, Co. Laois.
The Fennellys are carrying out activities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia emissions, to improve water quality, soil health and the overall biodiversity on their farm.
Minister Hackett said: “I was delighted to hear what the Fennellys are doing to make their farm more sustainable. Their focus on implementing sustainable soil management practices and improving soil health on their farm is evident.
“Healthy soils play a crucial role in regulating water retention and availability in agriculture.
“The health of the soil, and the quality and availability of water are interconnected. Both are an integral and necessary part of our lives and I welcome that World Soil Day is highlighting this important interconnection.”
Minister Martin Heydon added: “At the recent ‘Agriculture and Climate Change: Science into Action’ conference hosted by my department, I announced funding of €3.8 million for four research projects arising from the 2023 Ireland/New Zealand Joint Research Call.
“One of these projects is examining the implications of land management practices on organic peat soils with a particular emphasis on greenhouse gas emission reductions and will receive just over €1 million.”
World Soil Day
Minister Heydon also used the occasion of World Soil Day to announce the signing of the European Soil Mission Manifesto.
The Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme 2021-2027 is the European Union’s key initiative for funding research and one of its five missions is the ‘Soil Deal for Europe’.
The Soil Mission Manifesto highlights the urgent need for action to protect soil health and the signing of the manifesto is an important element in the success of Soil Mission according to Minister Heydon.
Marking his signing of the manifesto, Minister Heydon said: “Food Vision 2030 highlights that good soil health is critical in terms of agricultural output, producing nutrient-dense food, sequestering carbon, supporting habitats and biodiversity, and building resilience against climate change.
“The Soil Mission will enable research in these areas, and I am delighted to sign the Soil Mission Manifesto on this World Soil Day and believe it is an important demonstration of my department’s commitment to the Soil Mission.”
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said that it supports the ambition of World Soil Day of raising awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.