NSW EPA joins the Soil CRC

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has joined the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils (Soil CRC) as a Partner.

The contribution from the EPA brings the total of funding from participants and the Australian Government for the Soil CRC to $166 million in both cash and in-kind contributions.

The EPA is the primary environmental regulator for New South Wales. It partners with business, government and the community to reduce pollution and waste, protect human health, and prevent degradation of the environment.

Partnering with the Soil CRC connects the EPA with opportunities to increase recovery and reuse of organics waste with opportunities to improve soil health and productivity.

Amanda Kane, Manager Organics at the NSW EPA said this partnership demonstrates the EPA’s long-term commitment to resilient and healthy soils.

“Through our $105.5 million Organics Infrastructure Fund, the EPA is increasing the collection and processing of food and garden waste into high quality compost that will benefit soils, while also diverting waste from landfill.”

The NSW EPA brings the number of Soil CRC participants to 40, made up of eight universities, 20 farmer groups, eight industry groups and now four state agencies. CEO of the Soil CRC, Dr Michael Crawford believes that the strength of the Soil CRC is in the diversity of its partners.

“Adding the NSW EPA to the cohort of Soil CRC participants is important because they bring with them knowledge and experience that will enrich our research projects. Their interests are highly aligned with the CRC’s outputs around the development of new products for soil fertility and function.”

The Soil CRC aims to enable farmers to increase their productivity and profitability by providing them with knowledge and tools to improve the performance of their soils.

It takes a multi-disciplinary approach, coordinating research across a range of disciplines including social science, economics, biology, chemistry, agronomy and soil science.