Safer Phosphates was invited to visit a farm in Ireland, run by Kevin Nolan – a third-generation farmer – and get his first-hand experience of soil management.
Watch our video interview with Kevin here
"My father, and his father before him, taught us the importance of looking after the soil. Treat it well and it will treat you well. I mean, it’s such a simple message, but it’s still as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.
I’ve been walking this land - well, since as long as I could walk…. I have a great appreciation for what grows above the ground, but it’s what happens in the soil below the ground, it’s where the magic happens.
You can’t be a crop farmer without being curious about the soil. It’s the least visible but the most important part of the food chain.
You need high quality soil to produce high quality yields. Equally important is soil performance to ensure that the right balance is struck when it comes to crop yields.
We use the latest technology to regularly test the soil. We see what nutrients are lacking and then we replenish with fertilisers. We use both organic and phosphate fertilisers to maintain and improve soil health.
Soil safety is another key issue in relation to soil management. Farmers like myself are increasingly aware of the effects of soil contamination. Mainly by heavy metals such as Cadmium. We are proactively looking to manage this through the use of high quality fertilisers that are safe and clean.
Like the generations of my family before me, I have one eye on the future. That future will be founded on safe, high-performing soil that produces the very best quality crops for future generations."
)