Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 21
21
We support the recommendations of the Natural Capital Committee that the development of soil indicators...
Conclusion
We support the recommendations of the Natural Capital Committee that the development of soil indicators should be fast-tracked; that a shadow target for soil health should be established urgently; and that a legally-binding target for soil health ought to be established as soon as monitoring data allows. Healthy soils should be a priority outcome for the Environmental Land Management Schemes, so as to encourage farmers to adopt beneficial agri-environmental practices. (Paragraph 105) Funding biodiversity
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The government recognises the importance of healthy soils for the delivery of a wide range of ecosystem services, including food production, carbon storage, water regulation and supporting biodiversity. We are committed to protecting and improving soil health and recognise that monitoring is a key part of this. As part of our commitment in the 25 Year Environment Plan, we are working to improve the evidence base for soil health. We are currently developing a new set of soil health indicators that will enable us to better understand the condition of our soils and the impact of different management practices. Defra are investing £8.8m in a new three-year Farming and Countryside Exploration Fund research programme that is exploring the development and trialling of practical and accessible soil health tests that farmers and growers can use to assess the health of their soils. We are funding projects that develop and test approaches to assess soil health and inform management, and projects that measure the impact of land management practices on soil health. We are also working with the British Standards Institution to develop a new standard for soil health, which will provide a consistent framework for assessing and reporting on soil health. We aim to launch this standard in 2023. We are committed to setting a legally binding target for soil health as soon as practicable. We need to ensure that we have a robust and reliable set of indicators that can be used to track progress towards the target. We are working to fast-track the development of these indicators and aim to set a target as soon as the data allows. However, we will not set a target until we are confident that it is based on sound science and that it is achievable. Sustainable soil management is a key priority for the Environmental Land Management schemes. The schemes will incentivise farmers to adopt practices that protect and improve soil health, such as reducing tillage, using cover crops, and managing livestock grazing. Further detail on the role of Environmental Land Management schemes can be found in our response to recommendation 14.