Making a difference to the world beneath our feet
It feels like we are well and truly out of the blocks now, with our Winter Meeting last week being the first of this year’s events.
The meeting Improving Grassland Performance: Managing Soil Structure and Organic Matter attracted a fabulous range of delegates including farmers, scientists, commercial members and environmental management specialists, gathering to listen and join in with questions and discussion.
The early part of the day considered the situation, looking at what we know – and sometimes don’t – about the importance of soil organic matter and its effect on soil structure and health generally, as well as how grazing and cutting management can influence carbon sequestration.
Considering management offered some thought-provoking ideas. While we really don’t know all of the answers here, there was some food for thought as to how we can influence what happens beneath our feet.
There were a number of posters, on subjects ranging from earthworms, or the impact of acidified slurry on soil quality to multispecies swards.
Discussion of their content was so successful it was hard to get delegates back to the next round of presentations! Here, the talks focused on practical matters – using leys with sheep grazing in an arable system, as well as an overview of the condition of grassland soils in the UK, with a sobering thought that around two-thirds of soils are at least moderately compacted, some being severely so.
After lunch came a popular opportunity to take a hands-on look at soil assessment. How many people go to a soils meeting but don’t want to get their hands dirty?!
The final two presentations considered how science can contribute to better soil management. The first showed how farmers in the Netherlands have reduced nutrient surpluses, but also how fertiliser use can increase soil organic carbon levels – although questionably as to whether by enough to offset the carbon output from their manufacture.
The final talk discussed how plant breeding may help soil structure. This was not necessarily just down to the amount of roots, but also their structure and influence on the soil, clovers having some greater benefits than grasses.
Our events continue in April with our Spring Farm Walks in Yorkshire and West Wales. Always a vibrant day, they offer a chance to see how dairy farmers are making the most of grass and forage to create and maintain a profitable system.
They’re free to attend, but booking is required to help us with catering numbers. Take a look at our website for details and how to register. Hope to see you there!
Elaine Jewkes, Society Director, British Grassland Society.
