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News > The week in Soil

17 January

Last week, farmers, landowners, policymakers, researchers, and agricultural organisations descended on Oxford for two major agricultural conferences, the Oxford Faming Conference (OFC) and the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC). Numerous sessions focused on soil health, policy, regulation and contamination. Matt and Zach attended the ORFC on behalf of the SSA – keep an eye out for a thought piece on their takeaway thoughts.

Department for the Environment, Farming, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Secretary Steve Reed has confirmed the Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) fund will be available for farmers in England this spring. ADOPT will fund farmers to test and trial new technology and techniques, aiming to ‘bridge the gap between new technologies and their real-world application’.

Defra has committed to investing in the £140 million Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) programme in its recent response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s report on progress in improving the natural environment. The NCEA uses advanced technologies to map and monitor soil health to help shape policy decisions and monitor the progress of the Environmental Improvement Plan.

Defra officials told  the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) select committee that while the current budget is not under threat,, the future rollout of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) could be subject to change following the upcoming government spending review and will likely be dependent on the number of applicants.

Numerous samples of sewage sludge destined to be spread on British farms have indicated dangerously high levels of “forever chemicals”. New research shows that sewage sludge used on farmland in five different catchments is potentially contaminating soils and water with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Research from Red Tractor has revealed that British shoppers are regaining faith in food quality and farming standards. 75% of UK adults say they trust food sold in British supermarkets, a figure which jumps to 91% when asked whether consumers trust food exclusively produced within the UK.

A new on-farm education pilot project is helping farmers deliver meaningful experiences to children, connecting them with the origins of their food and farms. The Defra-funded programme aims to supports farmers in the Lake District with tools to engage schools and community groups.