HDRA is leading a new Defra-funded project to help growers improve the ways in which they build soil fertility. The project, which will look at fertility management strategies in organic arable and vegetable production, will be run in collaboration with Warwick HRI, ABACUS Organic Associates, The Organic Research Centre - Elm Farm and the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research. It aims to look at different techniques and fill in some of the gaps in this knowledge so the range of options for fertility building can be expanded.
As part of the project, farmers and growers will have the opportunity to trial some of the novel fertility building crops in simple on-farm trials in real farm situations. The project will also continue an existing trial that has compared a number of contrasting fertility building strategies over ten years. Such work is essential for examining the long term effects of different practices.
Anyone who would like to be part of the project process, should contact Anton Rosenfeld at HDRA on 02476 303517 arosenfeld@hdra.org.uk
A report of the initial stakeholder day held in April is online at http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicveg/news/story.php?id=1019