For more than two decades, the Northern Rivers Soil Health Card has provided an essential resource to farmers, agriculture-horticulture professionals, and educators.
Download the
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Watch The Soil Health Card Tests video (above) for instructions and tips on completing the ten tests.
The Soil Health Card is not intended to replace soil testing that you already conduct. It is an additional tool to help you understand your soils and their productivity.
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SoilCare thanks Environmental Analysis Labs (EAL) & Tweed Richmond Organic Producers Org (TROPO) for sponsoring the Soil Health Card 2024 update.
The original Northern Rivers Soil Health Card was developed for the Northern Rivers Region of NSW in 2002 as an extension activity of the Good Soil Project and the Good Worm Project I, joint undertakings of Tuckombil Landcare Inc and NSW Agriculture in partnership with the Natural Heritage Trust. The card was originally developed by farmers through a series of workshops held at Wollongbar TAFE. The process was facilitated by staff of Wollongbar TAFE and NSW Agriculture.
The aim was to develop a practical tool that all landholders in the Northern Rivers Region could use to monitor the health of their soils. As the core of the card, the farmers came up with a list of 10 straight forward visual tests that require simple equipment and can be carried out by one person in the field.
In 2007 farmers from the macadamia and coffee industries adapted the Northern Rivers Soil Health Card for their specific use. Farmers from the vegetable industry and sub-tropical tree crops (perennial horticulture) adapted the Soil Health Card for their use in 2008. The Coastal Grazing SHC was adapted later that year.
The soil health card lists the 10 tests and provides space for you to rate your own soils after carrying out the tests. By testing regularly and keeping the cards, you can build up a record of your soil health, and understand the effect of management practices on soil health.
The Soil Health Card serves as an additional tool to help you gain a deeper understanding of your soils and their productivity, complementing any existing soil testing you may conduct. Maintaining soil health in the short term will undoubtedly increase the sustainability of farming into the future.
The aim was to develop a practical tool that all landholders in the Northern Rivers Region could use to monitor the health of their soils. As the core of the card, the farmers came up with a list of 10 straight forward visual tests that require simple equipment and can be carried out by one person in the field.
In 2007 farmers from the macadamia and coffee industries adapted the Northern Rivers Soil Health Card for their specific use. Farmers from the vegetable industry and sub-tropical tree crops (perennial horticulture) adapted the Soil Health Card for their use in 2008. The Coastal Grazing SHC was adapted later that year.
The soil health card lists the 10 tests and provides space for you to rate your own soils after carrying out the tests. By testing regularly and keeping the cards, you can build up a record of your soil health, and understand the effect of management practices on soil health.
The Soil Health Card serves as an additional tool to help you gain a deeper understanding of your soils and their productivity, complementing any existing soil testing you may conduct. Maintaining soil health in the short term will undoubtedly increase the sustainability of farming into the future.
