By Anne Marie Butler

Soil is essential for life. Soil is an ecosystem in which millions of living creatures live and interact. A mere tablespoon of good-quality soil can hold more creatures (bacteria, protozoa, fungi, nematodes, micro-arthropods) than there are people on planet earth.

With the importance of soil for plant and animal growth, water quality, climate, human health and ecosystem sustainability, one wonders why our soils are so often forgotten?

With over 65% of Ireland’s land area devoted to agriculture and 90% of this agricultural land under grassland, nourishing and protecting our valuable soils is essential.

Recent years have reported a worrying and continued deterioration in Irish soil pH levels. Lime is one of the most important nutrients any farmer can spread to rectify soil pH. Maintaining good soil pH directly improves and enhances soil fertility.

Of the major nutrients, phosphorous (P) is the one most affected by a low soil pH as at a pH below 5.5, P becomes unavailable for use by grass.

Financial returns

As we examine the financial returns from systems and the total costs incurred across the year, it is imperative that farmers recognise the intrinsic role played by soil.

A healthy nutritious soil will bring quantifiable financial benefits to the farm in addition to the wider ecosystem returns. Teagasc¹ research has detailed a minimum increase in profitability of €173/ha for each additional tonne of grass utilised in a grazing system.

As grassland systems will continue to predominate, we must recognise that each 10% increase in the proportion of grass in the diet will reduce the cost of milk production by 2.5c/L.

As we seek to manage climate change while building environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural systems, perhaps we need to renew our focus and return to the soil.

Our Agri team are ready and available to meet with you; contact us on: [email protected].

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¹ Hanrahan et Al., 2018