Healthy Soils Program

We need healthy soils to grow healthy plants at low cost.
Soil quality issues for vegetables include erosion, compaction, structural decline, salinisation, acidification and the build up of plant pests and diseases.

• increasing vegetation cover
  
  
• maintaining habitat for other flora and fauna
  
  
• increasing fertiliser use efficiency
  
  
• persion of waste by reuse and recycling and on-site waste management
  
  
• waste minimization through cleaner production approaches

Horticulture Australia is funding a number of projects in the soil health area, including research into soil structure, nutrition and soil-borne diseases.

Your R&D levy funds have been invested in a strategic Soil Health Program for the Vegetable Industry :

• DPI-Queensland have developed an understanding of soil health limitations, identify improved management techniques and determined what information vegetable growers need to implement plant and soil health strategies.
  
  
• DPI-Victoria have undertaken a literature review of soil health research in the vegetable industry to identify current knowledge, research and development gaps, and preliminary research priorities for soil health for the vegetable industry.
  
  
• Non-levy Government funding to develop a practical guide for soil management.

The project Ute Guide & Soil Health Interpretation Courses for Vegetable Growers