For many people, the term ‘regenerative farming’ conjures up thoughts of soil health practices and different ways of working the land for a better and more sustainable yield. However, regenerative agriculture for livestock may also provide opportunities for animals and livestock farmers to benefit from the same strategies that improve soil fertility and productivity. The benefits of regenerative farming for …
We all know that plants depend on the soil to grow and thrive, but did you know that they can modify the soil too? When you think about what a plant’s root structure looks like, you’ll get an idea why … The soil does not, in fact, provide everything a plant needs freely, and it isn’t necessarily a welcoming environment …
humus /ˈhjuːməs/ noun The dictionary definition of humus seems to be fairly straightforward. But, in an article in Eco Farming Daily, German-Norwegian explorer of soil life, Herwig Pommeresche, argues that there is more to humus than carbon counting. Carbon is the basic building block of organic material. Thus, total soil humus content is often expressed in terms of carbon content …
Is organic or conventional agriculture better for biodiversity? We know that biodiversity is a key component of a healthy soil, and thus of the overall ecology too. Although biodiversity is of vital importance to the health and resilience of ecosystems, it is declining globally. Intensive agriculture has been shown to be one of the main drivers of negative trends in …
Chemical pesticides are commonly used in agriculture to prevent crops from being eaten and damaged by insects, birds, weeds and other natural pests that have the potential to reduce a farmer’s yields. So yes, pesticides are helpful to farmers, but if they’re able to kill and deter living organisms, what impact can pesticide exposure have on human health, wildlife, and …
“I tell a lot of producers that it’s a good thing we don’t understand chemistry or biology, because we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing.” – Shane New In an interview with Acres U.S.A, Shane New discusses the need for farmers to take a more biological approach to farming to promote regenerative agriculture. Shane is a stockman, entrepreneur, and partner …
Here at Zylem, we walk, talk, live and breathe soil health. But what’s the big fuss about? Read on to learn more about soil health, why it is so important, and how we can improve soil health in agricultural systems in South Africa. In this post: What is soil health? A soil health definition: The significant role of soil The …
In the July 2020 issue of FarmBiz magazine, Johan van der Waals, Real IPM Technical Manager, explores the effect that invasive plants have on soil health. Although many invasive species have little to no negative impact on soil health, it’s clear that certain species can be detrimental. Invasive plants can have negative impacts on: Biodiversity Growth of surrounding or affected …
Carbon is an essential building block of life on Earth. It is found virtually everywhere, from the air to the oceans, animals, plants, rocks and soil, which holds the largest portion of active carbon on Earth. Carbon is critical to soil productivity and function, and is thus a major component of overall soil condition and health. In an age of …
Poultry manure is considered rich in essential nutrients and is often used as fertiliser in organic agriculture, conventional farming, horticulture and in home gardens. When used as a fertiliser, the application of poultry manure is intended to increase crop production, but new evidence has found that manure that contains glyphosate (also known as Roundup) residues can have the opposite effect. …