Covering Soils Day - SFI Options and Soil Health

Covering Soils are essential events for farmers and agri-professionals to deepen their understanding of cover crops, machinery technologies, soil health, and compaction management. Through several interactive stations, the events highlight the importance of integrating these practices to enhance both productivity and environmental sustainability.

Prominent soil health specialists Agrii will discuss holistic approaches to soil management. Participants learned about soil testing techniques, nutrient cycling, and the critical role of microbial communities in maintaining soil fertility.

Event held at TWB Farms in Staffordshire on 21st September 2023.

Key Highlights from the day

Cover Crops Insights:
Join RAGT, who will give a comprehensive overview of cover crops and their pivotal role in enhancing soil health. Experts will emphasise the benefits of cover crops, such as preventing erosion, increasing organic matter, and improving nutrient retention. Farmers will gain valuable insights into selecting the right cover crop species and integrating them effectively into crop rotation cycles.

Machinery Demos:
Attendees were treated to live machinery demonstrations from Horsch UK and Grange Machinery, showcasing cutting-edge technologies for precise and efficient cover crop planting. The demos will provide practical knowledge on optimising usage for maximum cover crop establishment.

Soil Health Management:
Prominent soil health specialists Poly4 and Agrii will discuss holistic approaches to soil management. Participants will learn about soil testing techniques, nutrient cycling, and the critical role of microbial communities in maintaining soil fertility.

Mitigating Soil Compaction:
Soil compaction concerns will be addressed by speakers Phillip Wright, Wright Solutions and Stephen Lamb through insightful presentations and hands-on activities. Attendees will learn about strategies to mitigate compaction, including cover crop selection, reduced tillage, and precision machinery usage. Live demonstrations will showcase equipment designed to alleviate compaction issues.