Key facts
- Healthy soils store carbon, recycle nutrients, filter water, support biodiversity, and improve farm resilience to drought and heavy rainfall.
- Optimising soil fertility and pH enhances nutrient availability and plant growth.
- Avoiding soil compaction improves drainage, reduces runoff, and protects water quality.
- Teagasc is hosting an open day on 'Farming for a Better Future: Innovating for Healthy Soils and Clean Water' on June 10 at Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford.
- The event will showcase practical advice, demonstrations, and innovations focused on soil health, water quality, and sustainable farming.
Farming faces increasing uncertainty due to rising costs, volatile markets, and climate pressures. Healthy soils are presented as a vital resource for building stronger, more sustainable farm systems. Healthy soils perform multiple functions, including carbon storage, nutrient recycling, water filtration, biodiversity support, and enhancing resilience to drought and heavy rainfall. A single tablespoon of healthy soil contains more living organisms than the entire human population, all contributing to nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and plant growth. Specific benefits of managing soil health include optimising fertility and pH for better crop and grass growth, and avoiding compaction to improve drainage and reduce runoff, thereby protecting water quality. Measures like riparian buffer strips and over-winter green cover are also mentioned for reducing nutrient loss and improving farm resilience. To demonstrate these practices, Teagasc is hosting an open day titled 'Farming for a Better Future: Innovating for Healthy Soils and Clean Water' on June 10 at Teagasc Johnstown Castle in Co. Wexford. This event will feature Teagasc research, advisory, and education specialists showcasing practical advice, demonstrations, and innovations related to soil health, water quality, and sustainable farming. Farmers attending will have the opportunity to interact with experts, view live demonstrations, and learn about changes in soil and nutrient management that can benefit both farm profitability and environmental performance. The focus will be on actionable steps farmers can implement immediately, covering topics such as improving soil fertility, preventing compaction, nutrient management, protecting watercourses, and building system resilience.