Guide for good soil

A NEW guide has been published by Victorian environmental authorities to help farmers and gardeners monitor the health of their property’s soil.

The Soil Health Guide has been published by the North Central Catchment Management Authority and Agriculture Victoria.

Available for digital and paperback reading, the resource aims to instruct people about the importance of healthy soil, how they can test it, and improve it for growing and producing.

“Soil is central to a lot of the challenges farmers face, so understanding the makeup of soil and how to improve it can go a long way to helping them make the right decisions,” said North Central CMA sustainable agriculture program manager, Mandy Coulson.

“No matter whether you’re in a paddock, at your desk, on the lounge, or in the garden, you’ll have access to the information you need to test and improve your soil.

“These resources are perfect for our catchment, but the knowledge can be easily used anywhere around Victoria or Australia.”

Agriculture Victoria’s grains northern biosecurity and agriculture services regional manager, Rebecca Mitchell said the guide is simple to follow, and the tips are easy to action.

“The Soil Health Guide looks at ground cover, biological activity, soil colour, pH, texture, topsoil, structure, compaction, and stability,” Ms Mitchell said.

“The guide also discusses the valuable role played by existing soil carbon stores and how they offer great benefit to both agricultural productivity and the wider environment.”

The project has received financial backing from the federal government’s National Landcare Program. Visit nccma.vic.gov.au for more information.