Do you think farmers might be paid for increasing soil Organic Matter?

[Pilatus]

I have just been speaking to a landowner/ farmer that has just had the soils on there farm , that are going into Stewardship Schemes , tested for Organic Matter levels. It was an expensive soil sampling service , as soil samples were taken at so many locations across the fields to get a good average of the fields Organic Matter level ,each sample site being recorded on to GPS map. The idea being that when the scheme comes to an end the soil sample sites can be analysed again to see how much Organic Matter levels have hopefully increased . Should by the end of the Stewardship Scheme there be a payment for increasing soil organic matter the farmer has the data at hand to claim the payment.
I started the thread on this Direct Drilling Discussion section as it may be of more interest.
Do any of you think the above is possibility .

 

[Clive]

I hope it never has anything to do with government (in the form of a sub that is)

farmers (including myself this year I hope) are already being paid to increase SOM https://www.gentle-farming.com/

it can not be done via sampling though really, not yet anyway (in my opinion) I would say he just wasted his money on that aspect although its good data to have

 

[SilliamWhale]

Its can of worms.

I think better to promote good farming practice instead

 

[Brisel]

It's hard to measure reliably and consistently in soils.

Carbon sequestration will be big business though.

 

[SorenIlsoe]

I have just been speaking to a landowner/ farmer that has just had the soils on there farm , that are going into Stewardship Schemes , tested for Organic Matter levels. It was an expensive soil sampling service , as soil samples were taken at so many locations across the fields to get a good average of the fields Organic Matter level ,each sample site being recorded on to GPS map. The idea being that when the scheme comes to an end the soil sample sites can be analysed again to see how much Organic Matter levels have hopefully increased . Should by the end of the Stewardship Scheme there be a payment for increasing soil organic matter the farmer has the data at hand to claim the payment.
I started the thread on this Direct Drilling Discussion section as it may be of more interest.
Do any of you think the above is possibility .

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[holwellcourtfarm]

It IS coming in some form imho.


However, accurately measuring it is extremely difficult. Soils just aren't that consistent in the UK.

 

[JD6920s]

It would be very difficult to do I would imagine, so many variables.
There was talk of such a thing as a possible phosphate tax coming some time ago, but who and how is anyone going to sample and police that?

 

[Hilly]

Farmers should get paid for their produce ! How many 1.5 million plus homes out their with 70k plus cars inthe drive ? And we get subsidy so they can have cheap food ? Mental .

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Do it for the reason you will improve your crops and land, and you will improve your crops and land, and then you'll definitely get a payback

 

[clbarclay]

Feeling rather cynical this morning, but... schemes like carbon offsetting just seems to be a way of propping up profitable but unsustainable aspects of humanity.

Kind of like harming another person and knowing you'll be absolved of your sins by a priest.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

In answer to the the original question, it makes my blood boil that it is always directs payments for improvements. This puts money in the pockets of big intensive farms at the expense of smaller extensive ones.
I understand the logic but in reality it rewards those who have abused the environment and means those who try to do the right thing, go without.

I have many acres with OM above 8% so would once again be penalised for being responsible.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

In answer to the the original question, it makes my blood boil that it is always directs payments for improvements. This puts money in the pockets of big intensive farms at the expense of smaller extensive ones.
I understand the logic but in reality it rewards those who have abused the environment and means those who try to do the right thing, go without.

I have many acres with OM above 8% so would once again be penalised for being responsible.

David Kennedy and Janet Hughes are on the record as saying that the system must reward those already delivering the public goods.

Time will tell on that.....

 

[SilliamWhale]

Farmers should get paid for their produce ! How many 1.5 million plus homes out their with 70k plus cars inthe drive ? And we get subsidy so they can have cheap food ? Mental .

No one owns their homes!

 

[Macsky]

Feeling rather cynical this morning, but... schemes like carbon offsetting just seems to be a way of propping up profitable but unsustainable aspects of humanity.

Kind of like harming another person and knowing you'll be absolved of your sins by a priest.

There’s a lot of parallels with saving the planet and bad religion.

 

[martian]

Feeling rather cynical this morning, but... schemes like carbon offsetting just seems to be a way of propping up profitable but unsustainable aspects of humanity.

Kind of like harming another person and knowing you'll be absolved of your sins by a priest.

Yes, there's a great opportunity for nuns and monks, for instance, to be paid to abstain from sex, so that adulterers can bonk away with a clear conscience.

Err...thinking about it, carbon offsetting doesn't make that much sense

 

[steveR]

It IS coming in some form imho.


However, accurately measuring it is extremely difficult. Soils just aren't that consistent in the UK.

I would love to see them doing it here on some of the fields. North Shropshire glacial lake soils, the soil type can vary in a few metres...

 

[steveR]

Yes, there's a great opportunity for nuns and monks, for instance, to be paid to abstain from sex, so that adulterers can bonk away with a clear conscience.

Err...thinking about it, carbon offsetting doesn't make that much sense

And the former suggestion.... ?

Not that such an offer has any interest to me at all....

 

[DRC]

I would love to see them doing it here on some of the fields. North Shropshire glacial lake soils, the soil type can vary in a few metres...

Don’t I know it. From pure sand to clay in the same field. you’d need hundreds of soil samples to cover it all, then try working out which bits qualify

 

[steveR]

Don’t I know it. From pure sand to clay in the same field. you’d need hundreds of soil samples to cover it all, then try working out which bits qualify

I can chuck peat in the mix too with one field, all within 75m!

Gonna keep an army of Agents and Advisers happy....

 

[Yale]

Simply ban offsetting throughout the economy.

Ban advertising of alleged ‘offsetting’.

Companies would then trade on an equal footing of audits for carbon emissions.