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Soil Guidance

A wide variety of publicly available (online) soil management guidance has developed over the last twenty years to help farmers measure, monitor, manage and improve their soils.  It has been developed and promoted by a wide variety of organisations - Defra, NGOs, trade bodies – even supermarkets.

We have looked to collate and present a library of the most recent and authoritative of these resources alongside relevant background detail (date, organisation responsible etc.) here:

Farming rules for water – getting full value from fertilisers and soil

2017

Defra

Soil management regulations for compliance with the Water Framework Directive.

Valuing Your Soil: Practical Guidance for Scottish Farmers

2016

CREW / SRUC

Protection and improvement of farm soils, making farming more profitable.

Cross compliance in England: soil protection standards

2015

Defra

Most recent cross-compliance standards (focus on rules).

Single Payment Scheme Cross Compliance Guidance for Soil Management

2010

Defra / RPA

Practical and rules-based guidance for soil management, soil risk assessment, soil protection and remediation.

Protecting our Water, Soil and Air: A code of good agricultural practice for farmers, growers and land managers

2010

Defra / Natural England in association with Environment Agency

Protection of air, water and soil and meeting legal requirements.

Soil Analysis & Management

2009

Institute of Organic Training and Advice / Defra

Soil analysis guidance.

Single Payment Scheme Cross Compliance Soil Protection Review

2006

Defra

Practical and rules-based guidance for soil management, soil risk assessment, soil protection and remediation.

Single Payment Scheme Cross Compliance Guidance for Soil Management

2005

Defra

Practical and rules-based guidance for soil management, soil risk assessment, soil protection and remediation.

The Soil Code

1998

MAFF / Welsh Office Agriculture Department

A code of good agricultural practice for the protection of soil.