Soil indicator survey findings released

| Posted Sep 16,2024

Soil CRC researchers at Federation University have shared the findings of their recent soil indicator survey, identifying which indicators farmers are using to inform and support their farming practices.

The survey is part of a Soil CRC project led by Federation University’s Dr Nathan Robinson, which aims to help growers, advisers and scientists identify what soil indicators work best and where.

Soil indicators are the observations, assessments and measurements farmers use to gauge soil health. These indicators help farmers understand how soil is performing for different enterprises and regions.

The survey asked farmers, producers, advisors and others working in the agriculture sector what indicators they use, why they chose those indicators, and how often they use them.

Survey responses were received between September 2023 and March 2024 from all Australian states and various agriculture enterprises. There were 330 surveys undertaken with 265 completed.

The survey data has been collated and analysed to help us understand what suite of indicators are used to measure soil performance for different farming systems.

An overview of the survey results is provided in the video below, and key insights include:

Chemical tests, and visual appraisal of crops and soil are widely used in all the enterprises. Biological tests are least used.
Farmers are conducting soil tests on a regular basis, recognising a value-proposition for testing.
Tests and assessments are chosen for their relevance to farming enterprise, ease of sampling and assessment, and suitability to land use.
In-person interactions influence farmers’ choices of soil indicators. Advisors are highly influenced by education and training.

Dr Robinson said this research provides valuable information and guidance for growers to pick the best indicators for their production system.

“The research will now extend over the next two years as part of a new Soil CRC project aimed at developing a core set of metrics for soils indicators, to assist and support farmers and soils practitioners,” he said.

Co-design and expert guidance will ensure that the research outputs, including relevant interpretations, fulfill users’ needs, are actionable, and have value for the Soil CRC and beyond.