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Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms Publications

Accelerating adoption of integrated soil management practices in irrigated cotton and grain

Most cotton farms are situated on riparian flood plains and best management practice (BMP) of soils is imperative to the sustainability of these landscapes. One of the best ways to improve water management and to optimise nutrition inputs to reduce the impact of rising fertiliser costs to improve soil health and management. A 2005 study of Australia’s cotton industry examined farmers’ current knowledge and understanding of soil health. It (more)...

An Australian Wool innovation: "Healthy Soils" Training Module

Past research identified a significant gap in profitability between the ‘top 20%’ and the average sheep producer of between $20 and $37 per sry sheep equivalent. Evidence showed this gap was due to the adoption of best practices by the top 20% of sheep producers. A long history of investment in research and development by the wool and sheepmeat industries means that much of the information, technologies and tools to allow sheep producers to significantly increase sustainability (more)...

Defining and promoting soil health for sustainable production systems

Landholders do not normally have the tools readily at hand to routinely and inexpensively undertake tests to characterise and improve soil health/quality. >p>However, they do have an in-depth knowledge of how their own fields perform under particular circumstances. Interpretation is a key element for managing change and sustaining productivity. There was a need to combine farmer, advisor and researcher knowledge to develop qualitative soil health scorecards and quantitive (more)...

Delivering workshops on low input farming approaches to soil health

International and domestic trends suggest ongoing interest in organic food production, along with a matching interest from producers seeking to vary their farm management systems. Mainstream agriculture has comparatively little knowledge on biological farm practices that boost soil health and generate direct economic benefits. The drought of 2006/2007 has heightened grower concerns about retention of soil moisture and there is increased focus on alternative management strategies (more)...

Healthy Soils - Corporate Brochure

Soil is a national asset

Soil is a national asset. It is the source of our wealth and our well-being and the base material of our prosperity. Healthy soils are the engine room of sustainable, productive farms in Australia. They serve us as an economic asset, through farming and mineral production, and as a natural asset. They: assist with environmental health can help to improve the quality of Australia’s water resources offer life (more)...

Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms E-newsletter

Healthy Soils E-News was a fortnightly newletter prepeared by Sue Webster for the Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms Progam.

Download the zip file below and unzip the contents. The folder contains enewsletter editions 20-49.

Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms Program Report

The Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms (HSSF) Program was an Australian Government initiative funded through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). The Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) was a major co-funder, and the HSSF Program was managed by Land & Water Australia. The (more)...