Britain's soils are in a bad way, writes John Quinton, and the government is doing little to help - indeed its policies are making the problems worse. So concludes yesterday's Environment Audit Committee report on soil health. But are ministers bothered?
… Save our soils! John Quinton | 3rd June 2016 Comment … wp_20160405_12_36_26_raw-cut.jpg Britain's soils are in a bad way, writes John Quinton, … Environment Audit Committee report on soil health. But are ministers bothered? When …
Human existence relies on healthy soils, writes Jane Rickson. But all over the world they are being lost and degraded by inappropriate land use, reducing their capacity to produce food and store water, nutrients and carbon. Sustainable land management must be incentivised to conserve this essential resource.
… Conserving soil: precious, finite and under threat Jane … Human existence relies on healthy soils, writes Jane Rickson. But all over the … to conserve this essential resource. Healthy soils deliver a wide range of ecosystem goods …
Modern agriculture - even among organic farmers - is often seen as a matter of soil chemistry, writes Lynda Brown. But an alternative view is gaining ground: that it's really about soil life. Nurture your soil-dwelling micro-organisms, and your crops look after themselves.
… health: Elaine Ingham's theory of the living soil Lynda Brown Sustainable Food Trust | 31st … is all about sustaining healthy and abundant soil life - and applying compost is an important way to revitalise depleted soils. Photo: normanack via Flickr (CC BY). …
Soils are naturally alive with complex 'food webs' of micro-organisms that sustain plants with moisture and nutrients, making them good to eat. But once the biota have been blitzed with agro-chemicals under industrial farming regimes, it's our health that suffers. One more reason to grow, and eat, organic!
… For healthy food we need living, organic soils Hannah Bewsey Katherine Paul OCA | 9th … Comment Health Food Farming Natural World soil-potatoes-sandy-lane-cut.jpg The secret of healthy food is healthy soil - as with these organic potatoes bursting …
Almost all our food is grown in soil, writes Peter Melchett. Yet we are treating it like dirt: spraying it with toxic chemicals, depleting vital nutrients, and releasing its carbon to add to climate change. With World Soils Day coming up tomorrow, let's change our ways - and renew our commitment to organic food and farming.
… It's time to celebrate and protect the soils that feed us! Peter Melchett | 4th … Toxics Films The Land Climate Change pd soil 1-cut.jpg Almost all our food is grown in soil, writes Peter Melchett. Yet we are …
The health of our soils is more important now than ever, says the Soil Association’s Helen Browning - especially with the challenges that climate change will bring ...
… Peak soil: act now or the very ground beneath us … Food And Farming Comment Organic Farming Soil Food Farming wheretheresmuck.jpg The health of our soils is more important now than ever, says …
It sounds like a modest ambition: France wants to raise the amount of carbon in its soils by 0.4% a year, writes John Quinton. But that represents a vast amount of carbon, and its capture into soils will bring a host of other benefits. We should all get with the program!
… France's plan to increase its soil carbon is an example to the world John … wants to raise the amount of carbon in its soils by 0.4% a year, writes John Quinton. But … a vast amount of carbon, and its capture into soils will bring a host of other benefits. We …
An eight-year research project into the nutrient content of food grown under three different organic gardening systems has left a filing cabinet full of documents, writes Matt Adams. Now he wants to analyse those years of accumulated data, in the hope that they can show the way to richer soils, more nutritious food, and healthier people.
… No-dig farming to sustain nutrition in soils, crops, and us Matt Adams | 2nd March … the hope that they can show the way to richer soils, more nutritious food, and healthier … conventional ploughing or digging, turning soil upside down on its head each year, it's …
Four trustees of the Soil Association just resigned, 'more in sorrow than in anger'. Joanna Blythman, Lynda Brown, Andrew Whitley and former Ecologist editor Pat Thomas all decided they were unable to contribute further to the organisation, the UK's leading organic certifier and the 'mother ship' of British organic farming.
… Soil Association must get back to its roots … leek-picking-cut.jpg Four trustees of the Soil Association just resigned, 'more in … farming. We expect fellow members of the Soil Association will wonder why we resigned. …
A study of GMO cotton varieties shows they disrupt an important beneficial soil fungus, writes Eva Sirinathsinghji, apparently due to the Bt insecticide they are engineered to express. Disruption caused by the transgenic cotton to mycorrhizal fungi, and the wider soil ecosystem, may underlie the low yields and poor pest resistance now endemic among Bt GM crops.
… Vital soil fungi damaged by GMO Bt cotton Dr Eva … shows they disrupt an important beneficial soil fungus, writes Eva Sirinathsinghji, … cotton to mycorrhizal fungi, and the wider soil ecosystem, may underlie the low yields …
There's only one real faultline in farming, writes David R. Montgomery, and it's not the one between organic and 'conventional'. What really matters is whether farming systems are building, improving and nurturing soils - or exploiting them for short term gain. And if we want to keep humans well fed and healthy for the long term, there's only one choice to make.
… to feed the world? The answer lies in healthy soils David R. Montgomery University of … Comment Farming Food The Land Organic healthy-soil-cut.jpg There's only one real faultline … systems are building, improving and nurturing soils - or exploiting them for short term …
There's no such thing as 'healthy food' if it's not produced by sustainable farming systems on living soils, Patrick Holden told the recent 'Food: The Forgotten Medicine' conference. But after 70 years of industrial farming, there's a huge job to be done to restore our depleted soils and the impoverished genetic diversity of our seeds and crops.
… Good nutrition begins in healthy soils Patrick Holden | 7th September 2016 … by sustainable farming systems on living soils, Patrick Holden told the recent 'Food: … a huge job to be done to restore our depleted soils and the impoverished genetic diversity …
The Soil Association's Catering Mark scheme promises 'fresh food you can trust'. This sounds great, writes Lynda Brown. But what does it really deliver? The truth, she finds, is much less than the promise might suggest, considerably more complicated, and threatens to erode the public's trust in the Soil Association's organic brand and values.
… The Soil Association's 'Catering Mark' - a … Organic catering-mark-organic-cut.jpg The Soil Association's 'Catering Mark' logo is so … The error has since been corrected. The Soil Association's Catering Mark scheme …
A new study shows that the market-leading Roundup herbicide kills soil microbiota at concentrations 50 times lower than used in agriculture, writes Claire Robinson. The findings raise serious new concerns about the environmental impacts of glyphosate herbicides.
… Monsanto's Roundup toxic to soil fungus at ultra-low doses Claire Robinson … the market-leading Roundup herbicide kills soil microbiota at concentrations 50 times … glyphosate herbicides. Roundup is toxic to a soil fungus at doses well below recommended …
The soils on which African farmers depend are getting poorer, writes Fernando Naves Sousa, depleted of nutrients and organic matter. This creates a huge challenge: to reverse the trend in an environmentally responsible way, while feeding a growing population. But it can be done - using organic composting techniques.
… lead composting revolution to heal African soils Fernando Naves Sousa | 14th October 2014 … Mali Burkina Faso Benin foto-cut.jpg The soils on which African farmers depend are … earth ready to nourish his nutrient hungry soils. He participates in the Syprobio project …
The Soil Association doesn't need to 'get back to its roots', writes Helen Browning - because it never left them! It remains firmly committed to its founders' original organic mission for health, environment and animal welfare. And that means reaching out to a broader public, ensuring that organic principles are ever more widely understood and applied.
… The Soil Association's mission is organic - and it always will be! Helen Browning Soil Association | 2nd December 2014 Activism … UK helen-browning-with-cows-cut.jpg The Soil Association doesn't need to 'get back to …
As millions join in climate marches and other actions around the world, writes Ronnie Cummins, the 'mainstream' focus on energy is missing the 55% of emissions that come from mismanaged land and destroyed forests. The key is to replace industrial agriculture worldwide with productive, regenerative organic farming that puts carbon back in the soil.
… organic farming that puts carbon back in the soil. Since Dr. James Hansen, a leading … the atmosphere through their roots into the soil) on billions of acres of farm land, range … enormous amounts of atmospheric carbon in the soil. These traditional, regenerative …
Farming should not only sustain people with healthy food, writes Jigmi Y. Thinley. If humans are to survive on Earth, it must also revitalise nature and sustain vital planetary systems, instead of poisoning and over-exploiting them. And to do that farming must be organic.
… Therein lies the wisdom of organic farming. Soil erosion and loss Agriculture is dependent on the topsoil which averages a mere foot in depth. … for the formation of a single inch of topsoil, researchers have found that human action …
‘Climate Smart Agriculture' can be applied to anything from industrial monocultures to agroecology, writes Helena Paul - and fertiliser, biotech and agribusiness corporations are seizing the chance to cash in. Now COP21 host France is proposing to use soils as a giant carbon sink - a fine idea in itself, but not if it's used to 'offset' continued fossil fuel emissions, and to greenwash industrial agriculture.
… Agriculture' - preparing for a corporate soil and climate-grab in Paris? Helena Paul … in. Now COP21 host France is proposing to use soils as a giant carbon sink - a fine idea in … change while destroying forests, water, soils, and biodiversity. Yet we are told that …
We cannot rely on governments in meeting in Paris to solve the many-headed climate problem, writes Vandana Shiva. It's up to us to safeguard the future of the Earth, and of our own and other species. So let's all join in this pact to love and protect our one and only home.
… and ask others to do the same 1. In living soil lies the prosperity and security of civilization In the destruction of soil is the destruction of civilization. Our … the Earth. We commit ourselves to protect our soils and biodiversity. Our living soils will …
Can organic farming feed the world? Ed Hamer and Mark Anslow say yes, but we must farm and eat differently
… by between 30 and 60 per cent. 4 Even the Soil Association admits that, on average in … fertiliser, which can be spread on soil to increase crop yields or further … used in organic agriculture to enhance soil fertility in turn encourage crops to …
Industrial agriculture and industrial food processing have combined to produce something extraordinary, writes Julian Rose: 'KRISS the unrecognisable croissant'. Just don't make the mistake of confusing it with food. Devoid of nutrition, laced with hydrogenated oil and a long list of artificial ingredients, if you care about your own health and that of our planet - give KRISS a miss!
… the inseparable interconnection between soil, plant, animal and man - and ends back in the soil again. So that if any one element of this … the other, resulting in enriched and balanced soil fertility and at the other end, genuinely …