Long-term success for farmers depends on how they treat their soil, especially as climate change is making rainfall patterns more unreliable.
The make-up of soils varies enormously, sometimes from one field to another. Clay, which holds four times as much water as coarse light sand, can be a big advantage, but with too much rain can become waterlogged, leading to drowned crops. Clay soils also compress under heavy farm machinery.
A good mixture of soil particles is preferable but whatever the composition farmers have to care for their greatest single asset; they need to boost the capacity of soil to hold water, especially for annual crops, particularly in the dry east of England. Even established plants reach “wilting point” when half the available water in the soil is used up.
An important factor for water retention is the soil’s organic matter. Over-cultivated, chemically fed, impoverished soils on some English farms now just have 0.5% of organic matter. The ideal is 3% or more. Crops with more organic matter in the soil thrive far longer without irrigation. This is where organic farmers, who add manure and compost to the soil, clearly benefit while at the same time reducing flooding risk and capturing carbon.
At the start of this year the drought forced many farmers of all types to irrigate to save their crops. But organic growers used far less water. Irrigation is expensive and conventional farmers who also rely on costly chemical fertilisers to boost yields face a double financial squeeze. Looking after the soil is vital for survival of the industry.
