Business Rural Winter 2021

76 | Emphasis on soil Karen Phelps RURAL SERVICES » Soil Matters M eeting the government’s new regulations needn’t be costly or difficult for farmers. But a strong emphasis on soil quality is required, believes Soil Matters general manager Rik Mulder. “Many of our clients are not seeing these new regulations as such a problem because they’ve focused on their soil health and need to apply a lot less nitrogen fertiliser as a result so they have less trouble to stay below the thresholds,” he says. So why is soil so important? Rik explains that soil is complex system of microorganisms, fungi, bacteria and more. Soil Matters focuses on three key aspects: physical, biological and mineral. By addressing all three in tandem it can help farmers make the right decisions. The physical aspect of the soil are a given and cannot be changed and is identified via a physical assessment, combined with comprehensive plant and soil testing to give insight into the soil structure characteristics. Soil biology is all about breakdown and UP-cycling of carbon and other nutrients. Rik says that some farmers have tradition- ally been told that nitrogen drives production and therefore the more the better but this is not always the case. “Nutrients in the soil interact both synergisti- cally or antagonistically. You can’t add one without improving or reducing the availability of a different nutrient. N, P and K are the popular ones as they boost plant growth like no other. But the ones ‘at the back of the class’ are just as, if not more, important for nutrient efficiency. “We focus on reducing reliance on synthetically produced nitrogen, enhancing carbon sequestration and providing the right balance for nutrient dense crops in New Zealand.” He says it’s a delicate balancing act but by more precision and getting it right farmers can really see results fast and often save money in the process. New testing methods, such as sap testing, which tests the ‘blood’ of the plant for greater accuracy compared with tissue testing, provides accurate information on which to base decision so farmers know what nutrients their soil actually needs. Rik says the aim is to ensure the plants provide the animals with the nutrients they need rather than relying on methods such as adding nutrients to drinking water. “If the water tastes strange animals will not drink as much what can result in clinical dehydration, which of course ultimately affects production,” he says. For arable farmers the lessons are just as spe- cific. The need to do more intensive soil cultivation can disturb fungal networks so careful considera- tion is required when formulating the right plan for the farm including recommendations on cover crops to improve soil health by increasing organic matter, fixing nitrogen, breaking up compact soil, outcom- peting weeds, stopping fallow ground from eroding and restoring the fungal networks. “Fungi is essential for the breakdown of complex organic materials like cellulose and boosting avail- ability of nutrients like phosphorous,” explains Rik. “Worms help with aeration and drainage of the soil, and the digestion and transportation of organic material. This allows the efficient utilisa- tion of the organic material by soil microbes, that fix N and provide other nutrients in plant available forms, supporting photosynthesis. If the process is efficient, more nutrients are made available and stored than lost. This is where UP-cycling begins and resilience is built.” The right advice about crop and stock rotation is also important: “Different crops deplete or unlock different nu- trients in the soil. Simply by rotating crops or cover crops, or putting stock in the most beneficial place, you can change the productivity of a farm. We work with each clients’ farming rotation to put cover crops in the rotation or simply add plant diversity in the paddock to give them more diverse pastures.” He says Soil Matters believes that with the right advice and products farmers can improve any plant’s environment and by lifting the quality of a crop, lift the quality of everything that feeds from it. Rik explains that he came to New Zealand 5 years ago and still spends a lot of time in Europe and, even though it may seem that Europe is ahead in certain ways, the agricultural industry is a lot more mature and does not have the agility to fundamen- tally change and return to a more holistic farming approach that is so feasible in New Zealand. “New regulations may provide some short term struggles but will present a lot of great opportuni- ties for New Zealand farmers in the long run. New Zealand is a lot younger, has amazing cultural values and an image that is very valuable when it comes to exports. “There are still many very conservative operators in the industry that stick to outdated principles that conflict this, but they will phase out. At Soil Matters we respect those global market opportunities to create an outcome that is good for the future of New Zealand agriculture, the bottom line of the farm and farmer, good for people and good for the environment.” “We focus on reducing reliance on synthetically produced nitrogen, enhancing carbon sequestration and providing the right balance for nutrient dense crops in New Zealand.” Rik Mulder, general manager of Soil Matters with a diagram of the ‘soil environment triangle’ a central piece advice explained to clients. Rik on the dairy farm of his inlaws in The Netherlands.