Phase two of soil sampling programme opens for applications
The Carbon Putting Soil Centre Model Agricultural Of Soil And Programme Soil Is This Future Fertility At Health, At Ireland's Aimed
Phase two of the Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme has opened for applications.
This programme is aimed at putting soil health, soil fertility and soil carbon at the centre of Ireland's future agricultural model.
According to the Department of Agriculture, phase two has the potential to take another 90,000 samples from farms all over the country.
The programme also aims to enable better surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at a national and regional level by screening for the presence of the ESBL E. coli strain.
The programme is open to farmers across the country, and applications can now be made through agfood.ie.
The closing date for farmer applications under the programme is October 30.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said that the initial pilot programme of this "was the most comprehensive soil analysis programme ever undertaken in this country with over 90,000 samples analysed and 7,500 farmers involved".
"Phase two will now build on this success by providing valuable information to farmers to inform decisions that promote the health of their soils," Mr McConalogue said.
"Nutrient management and soil health are central to achieving economic and environmental sustainability on farms and are therefore high priorities for my department and form part of our commitments in the programme for government."
Minister of State Pippa Hackett added that soils are "complex ecosystems that perform amazing functions".
"This programme will increase farmer awareness and understanding of their soils which will allow them to make more targeted management decisions on their holdings," she said.
"95% of the food we eat starts with the soil and it is important that farmers continue to focus on improving the physical, chemical and biological properties of their soils so they can continue to produce high-quality nutritional food and deliver other ecosystems services."
