The conversation about the negative impacts of nitrogen fertiliser is often focused on the soil, but the broader environmental impact is just as big of a challenge. Watch Dr Craig Galloway explain why in this video.
When dairy effluent is viewed as waste water, it is all about getting rid off it. However when it is viewed as beneficial water, it is all about the opportunity costs of the nutrients.
Good water management practices can significantly contribute to better water use efficiency. This is an economic advantage on farms, contributes to environmental stewardship and is a social responsibility of farmers.
Soil carbon helps with moisture retention and can get you through dry periods. Farm management practices should be wired towards sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere!
As a farmer, you can contribute negatively or positively towards the problem of freshwater pollution. If you want to make a positive contribution, what practices are you implementing to do so?
The soil is more than just a big blob of brown stuff. It has organic matter, mineral particles as well as a variety of microorganisms. The quantity of each of these determines the health of that soil.
Hydrophobic soils are the results of a waxy organic compound which forms around soil particles. This substance coats the particles, resulting in water repellency.
What if we could build healthy, thriving soil ecosystems? Soil which allows plants to grow well, without excessive and expensive inputs.
I realised again that there is still a lot of work for us, as the sustainable agriculture community, to do. We need to continue improving the health of agricultural land.
Nitrogen is a nutrient that is crucial for the optimal growth of plants. Its role in plant health may very well be unparalleled, but what happens when it becomes excessive in the soil? Is it “the more the better”, or rather a case of “too much of a good thing”?