New

Effects of compost on yields of winter wheat and barley, sugar beet, onion and swede in the fourth and fifth years of a rotation    (241kb)

This is the final report of a five-year project investigating the use of green waste derived compost in agriculture, partially funded by BPC, HGCA and HDC through the Applied Research Forum.

Links to web based publications and lists of hard copy publications

General

Defra Soil Publications Page
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/land/soil/index.htm

Environment Agency Soil Publications Catalogue
http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/epages/eapublications.storefront/46d44277000c4af6273fc0a802960675/Search/Display/1

Sugar Beet Portal - Beet Growers Guide
http://www.uksugarbeet.co.uk/Tools/Events/Default.aspx

Soil Management for sugar beet:
Report of a BBRO workshop held on 20 APril 2007    (693kb)
BBRO Technical article, including 12 point action plan    (955kb)

Soil, water and other legislation: Impacts on UK potato production    (915kb)

Powerpoint presentations on soil management for soil structure
www.Environmentsensitivefarming.co.uk

Best Farming Practice (2003) Environment Agency
www.publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/epage
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/444304/1224648/1224663/669460/797683/?version=1&lang=_e

A guide to better soil structure 2001 NSRI www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/nsri/pdfs/structure_brochure.pdf

Fact sheet on soil physical damage Macaulay Land Institute www.macaulay.ac.uk/aweg/soilphysicaldamage.pdf

Practical advice on cultivation - FWAG
www.fwag.org.uk

Compaction in organic farming technical summary - SAC

Ploughing date for grass-clover leys technical summary - SAC

A guide for assessing your soil - SAC
www.sac.ac.uk

Publications not available on-line

Soil Management.  Davies, D B, Eagle D J and Finney J B (1982).  Farming Press.

Soil Husbandry.  Batey, T. (1988).  Soil and Land Use Consultants Ltd, Aberdeen.

Guide to crop establishment - SMI

Improved soil management for agronomic and environmental gain  - SMI 2002

Visual soil assessment booklet (free from Vaaderstadt)

Contributions and interactions of cultivations and rotations to soil quality, protection and profitable production(2004) - SMI

Managing soil structure, reports soil structural assessments, soil types, their cropping and management (free booklet) - NSRI  

'Changing Cultivation Practices' (Video) - SMI/ADAS 

Fact sheet on soil physical damage - Macaulay Land Institute 
www.macaulay.ac.uk/aweg/soilphysicaldamage.pdf

A guide to better soil structure 2001 - NSRI
www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/nsri/pdfs/structure_brochure.pdf

Best Farming Practice (2003) Environment Agency
www.publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/epage
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/444304/1224648/1224663/669460/797683/?version=1&lang=_e

1 day course on grassland management
The Netherfield Centre for Sustainable Food and Farming
www.thenetherfieldcentre.co.uk

Presentations on erosion control  www.Environmentsensitivefarming.co.uk

Various publications - SMI
www.smi.org.uk

Controlling soil erosion: a manual for the assessment and management of agricultural land at risk of water erosion in lowland England, revised 2005 (PB4093). - Defra
http://www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/land/soil/information/publications.htm

Publications available in hard copy:

Defra

Controlling soil erosion: an advisory booklet for the management of agricultural land, 1997 (PB3280)

Controlling soil erosion: an advisory leaflet for preventing erosion caused by grazing livestock in lowland England, 1999 (PB4091)

Controlling soil erosion: a field guide for an erosion risk assessment for farmers and consultants, 1999 (PB4092)

Controlling soil erosion: an advisory leaflet for preventing soil erosion in the uplands, 2001 (PB5820A)

Controlling soil erosion: an advisory leaflet for preventing erosion by outdoor pigs, 2001 (PB5820C)

Controlling soil erosion: incorporating former advisory leaflets on grazing livestock, wind, outdoor pigs and the uplands, 2005

SAPG review of agricultural pollution including role of soil protection (2003) - SEPA

Improved soil management for agronomic and environmental gain - SMI

Influence of Cultivation Practices on Arable Crop Diseases (2003) - SMI
www.smi.org.uk

Contributions and interactions of cultivations and rotations to soil quailty, protection and profitable production - SMI
www.smi.org.uk

Reports on maintenance of organic matter status - NSRI
www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/nsri

Fertiliser recommendations for agricultural and horticultural crops (RB209), 2000 - Defra
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/pollute/rb209/

Fertiliser guides - SAC
http://www.sac.ac.uk/

Presentation on GAEC for soils, soil husbandry (2006) and word doc describing organic matter and GAEC (2005) - Environment Sensitive Farming  http://www.environmentsensitivefarming.co.uk 

Single Payment Scheme: Cross Compliance Guidance for Soil Management - Defra
http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/capreform/pubs/ccompl.htm

Other web-based sources of information

National Soil Resources Institute
NSRI was established in August 2001 in order to create a unified Institute with the necessary scientific expertise and the research capability to focus on the long-term development of the sustainable management of soil and land resources both in the UK and around the world.
http://www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/nsri/

HGCA Soil-to-Crop Initiative
The soil2crop initiative aimed to help growers improve farm profitability, by increasing their knowledge of soil management and identifying cultivation practices more appropriate to varying conditions.
http://www.hgca.com/soil2crop/

Soil Management Initiative (SMI)
SMI is an independent organisation that aims to promote the adoption of cultivation systems designed to protect and enhance soil quality, and to minimise soil erosion and water pollution, whilst maintaining or enhancing farm economic returns.
http://www.smi.org.uk/index.html

Environment Sensitive Farming - practical advice for land managers
Presentations for farmers from ADAS/Defra RDS
http://www.environmentsensitivefarming.co.uk/presentations/soil.html?view_all=true

The Soil Association
Technical information on soil and compost
http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/psweb.nsf/B2/soil_compost.html

SAC - Crops and Soil Systems
Description of the Crop and Soils Systems research programme
http://www.sac.ac.uk/research/cropsandsoils/

Macaulay Research Institute
Description of soils research programme
http://www.macaulay.ac.uk/soilquality/

Scotland
SEERAD - SB 06-53 Soil Protection in Scotland (pdf 840k)
This briefing explains the nature, importance and threats to Scottish soils in advance of a national soil protection strategy expected in 2007. Sustainable soil management is vital for farming and forestry incomes, also for supporting wildlife and unique landscapes in Scotland. Soils management has the capacity to exacerbate or mitigate climate change. Soils loss is the major cause of diffuse pollution in Scottish rivers. Ongoing soil pollution, sealing and erosion have many detrimental impacts for human and ecosystem health.

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/research/SB06-53.pdf

Soil protection and climate change, 25 September 2006
Plans to establish a Scottish soil monitoring system and to develop a soil strategy...
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/09/25102611

Two of the three reports mentioned in this News Release are on the Scottish Executive website:

Review of Greenhouse Gas Life Cycle Emissions, Air Pollution Impacts and Economics of Biomass Production and Consumption in Scotland
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/09/22094104/0

Report on the current state and threats to Scotland's soil resource
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/09/21115639/0