Farming minister George Eustice has pledged to put soil health at the heart of future agricultural policy in a message to members of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements.
According to the Soil Association, Eustice said Defra will be looking to the organic sector for knowledge and techniques to inspire agricultural policy and influence a wider approach to soils.
Speaking via video link to the organics umbrella organisation, he cited locking carbon, reducing ammonia emissions and making efficient use of manures as some of the benefits of reviewing soil management.
Eustice also spoke of soil as a complex ecosystem that needs nurturing, as he discussed his hopes for a policy that learns from the past and makes use of modern technology.
Soil Association chief executive Helen Browning welcomed his comments, saying they “demonstrate that the value of our soils, their health and critical importance to our environment, is being recognised at the highest levels”.
She added: “An acknowledgment of the need for soil protection, and in particular an acknowledgement of the lessons to be learned from organic practices, within agricultural policy is something we have worked hard to secure.
“We now know Defra is committed to addressing this, and we look forward to helping them build a robust and regenerative approach to soils going forward.”
Eustice’s comments follow his recent announcement that a post-Brexit agri-environment scheme should have a strong focus on soil health.
“If we get that right, I think a lot of other things take care of themselves,” he told the Tenant Farmers’ Association autumn conference on 14 November.
“If we improve the health and the fertility of our soils, you can improve water quality, you can help address issues such as climate change and you can reduce fertiliser use,” Farming UK reported Eustice to have said.
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