HEALTHY soils with plenty of worms are the key to future profitability, according to a leading advisor on the subject. Soil expert Jo Scamell, from Ground Level Nutrition, is encouraging farmers across Scotland to look after the life in their soils. She says worms and life in soil are a great indicator of soil health and must be nurtured. In turn, this is the key to optimising crops, livestock and farm profits.

She wants to offer practical advice on where farmers could improve efficiencies and increase farm profitability and is holding a series of meetings across the country to promote soil health.

Ms Scamell said: “There are some key actions all farmers can take to address soil health that they may not have thought about, but that can be easily adopted. We need to alter our thinking pattern so that we can enhance the resources on farm and maximise efficiency.

"We should look at soil as the key to efficient production, disease resistance, and the whole financial cycle of the farm.

“Whether you’re a livestock or arable farmer, to get the most from your farm, you’ve got to get to grips with the soil. The key thing is seeing soil as a living thing – it’s not just about phosphate and nitrogen levels, it’s about the living things in there, from microbes and nematodes to worms.”

Emily Grant, grassland co-ordinator at Quality Meat Scotland – which is providing funding for her time in Scotland – said: “For livestock producers, maintaining healthy grassland soils will support better plant growth with better forage quality helping to drive profitability.”

* Ms Scamell is delivering a series of free sessions for Soil Association Scotland, open to all farmers and land managers. They will be at Aviemore, September 28; Inverurie, September 29; Dumfries, October 5; and South Queensferry, October 6). Booking is essential: contact Lyn White for details, on 07899 791 748 or lwhite@soilassociation.org