Advantages of organic fertilisers

The advantages of using organic fertilisers such as biosolids, composts, anaerobic digestates and industrial wastes are highlighted in a new technical note.

Produced by the Scottish Government’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS) the advice also provides guidance on how to comply with relevant legislation.

The notes point out that when used appropriately, the recycling of organic materials adds nutrient value to soil and crops, and in some cases provides significant savings on the cost of manufactured fertilisers.

Regular applications of bulky organic materials can improve water-holding capacity, drought resistance and structural stability. Author, SRUC senior consultant Dr Alex Sinclair said : “Using organic fertilisers can be an extremely useful and cost-effective way of improving soil fertility and quality. However, the nutrient value of applied organic fertilisers must be included in a farm’s fertiliser management plan for farmers to fully realise the financial benefit.”

The Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA) is holding a Livestock in Low Input Systems (LILIS) conference on June 15 at Barnside Farm, near Duns.

It is in association with Organic Farmers & Growers and brings together innovative thinkers to discuss relationships between soils, plants, animals and humans.

The theme of the event is Farming for Lifestyle: how a work-life balance can be achieved without sacrificing farm profit. Tickets cost £45.