| 59 Agraforum founder on unlocking soil health Allan Piercy jokes he’s not as strong on the end of a spade as he once was, but he still trusts it as the quickest test of a paddock’s health. With good soil, the blade slides in with ease; on compacted, it is a bit more work - and that, he says, is costing farmers grass growth, animal health and profit. A former large-animal vet, Allan has spent decades studying the link between what happens under the soil surface and what happens to the animals grazing above it. He became convinced much of the trouble he saw in dairy herds could be traced to the way soils had been treated. Long-term heavy urea use, he says, combined with animal urine patches, have shifted the way soil particles hold together, reducing the open, aerated crumb that roots and microbes need. While plants may look green thanks to fertiliser, their roots can’t tap the full store of minerals in the ground. Allan uses the analogy of a hole-in-the-wall bank machine to describe why a good result on a soil test may not be enough to go on. “It’s just a mining report,” he says. “It doesn’t mean the plants can get at it. It means you’ve got a million dollars in the bank, but your bank card can only suck out $1 a day.” In other words, if the soil is compacted, the plants get stuck with nutrients they can’t access, even if the soil test says there’s plenty there. Allan founded Agraforum in 2007 to focus on that hidden side of productivity: soil structure. The company now works mainly with dairy farmers but also vineyards, orchards and arable growers. RURAL SERVICES » Agraforum NZ It combines targeted soil testing with a suite of biological and mineral products, many sourced from overseas, to unlock nutrients and reduce reliance on soluble fertilisers. Among the standouts, Allan says, is Bio N, a product that can replace several rounds of urea by supplying plants with amino acids rather than nitrate. Another is Enviro-Cal, a calcium-based soil treatment that helps rebuild the crumb structure that healthy soils need. Then there are plant-health products such as ComCat and ReStore that strengthen root systems and, in vineyards, have helped reduce frost damage. Allan says, while it can feel a bit like “magic”, all his products are doing is getting the soil, and the plants in it, working the way nature intended. When it comes to soil looseness, farmers don’t have to wait long to see a difference, with improvements often noticeable within weeks. “It can feel like turning on a light,” he says. “The soil just pops back up.” The approach can also help with compliance pressures as regional councils tighten nitrogen use limits and public scrutiny on water quality increases. Allan calls it a “win-win”. “The greenies will be happy; it’s cheaper, so the cocky will be happy; and the plant’s happy,” he says. Education is central to Agraforum’s approach, and through a series of podcasts available on the company’s website, Allan seeks to demystify soil chemistry and plant nutrition in ways farmers can understand. “I try to talk as if I’m talking to a farmer, not a bloody scientist,” he says of the podcast content. Farmers get information thrown at them from all sides, often with vested interests in the mix. Partners: Paul Wolffenbuttel | Jasveen Singh | Nick Krivan | Kalpesh Hari | Mark Evans 39 George Street, Timaru 7910 | PO Box 125, Timaru 7940 Email: hcmail@hcpartners.co.nz | Phone: 03 687 9222 | Website: www.hcpartners.co.nz HC Partners LP are proud to support Agraforum NZ HEALTHY SOILS HEALTHY PLANTS HEALTHIER ANIMALS PRODUCED BY: UNITED FISHERIES LTD PHONE: 03 343 0587 FOR MORE INFO VISIT: WWW.BIOMARINUS.CO.NZ INFO@BIOMARINUS.CO.NZ Totally Independent in-field sampling & Agricultural Lab. cfa.nz Let us provide the data you need for better decision-making. Book your Silage Analysis 0800 232 522 office@cfa.nz BioN trial treating an area with BioN. Kim Newth Allan’s focus is simple: give them the knowledge and tools to make smarter choices on their land. Agraforum’s free podcasts, where Allan explains soil health in plain farming language, are available at agraforum.co.nz and on major podcast platforms. Agraforum:- agraforum.co.nz | 0800 488 118
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