South West farmers get hands-on with soil tests

You’d never put oil in your car without checking your dipstick, and the same is true with applying fertiliser on farms. Knowing what’s in your soil before you start applying nutrients is vital.

Last week an enthusiastic group of Geographe farmers learnt the ropes on how take their own farm soil samples as a part of the Geographe Soil Testing Program, a project developed to help give landowners a better understanding of the soil nutrients available on their properties.

With beef and dairy grazing contributing the largest source of nutrients entering local waterways, working with farmers to improve nutrient management is critical to the health of Geographe Bay.

GeoCatch has been soil testing in the catchment since 2009 and this year’s program has a record 60 farmers undertaking soil testing on their farms, with many of these nominating to take their own samples on over 5400 hectares of grazing land.

Participants got hands-on, trying out the soil testing equipment, determining the best sampling transects for their property and learning the best practice in getting the samples ready for lab analysis.

GeoCatch project officer Jenelle said the soil testing program helped farmers to learn more about what is happening with existing nutrients already in their soils, and identifying deficiencies that might impact pasture growth.

“Soil testing is an evidence-based approach to make better fertiliser decisions, and the critical first step in managing nutrients on farm”, Jenelle said.

“It provides farmers with the information they need to confidently adapt their fertiliser application to target what is required, resulting in improved productivity and higher profit margin for the farmer, as well as reduced nutrient loss to waterways”.

The program has been developed and facilitated by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, and GeoCatch, part of Healthy Estuaries WA, Revitalising Geographe Waterways, and Soil Wise. Soil Wise is funded by the National Landcare Program.