Soil Testing
Regular soil testing provides essential information about the health and nutrient status of your soils, helping you make informed decisions about nutrient applications, improve efficiency and manage fertiliser costs.
Soil analysis is also important for meeting agricultural requirements in Wales. It provides the information needed to prepare an accurate Nutrient Management Plan under the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations and, for farmers participating in the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), soil testing forms part of Universal Action 1: Soil Health.
Soil testing under the Sustainable Farming Scheme
If you are participating in SFS and claim on field parcels containing improved land, you must meet the requirements of Universal Action 1: Soil Health.
In 2026, a minimum of 20% of fields containing improved land must be tested, or have qualifying soil tests completed within the previous five years. From year two onwards, an average of 20% should be tested each year so that all relevant field parcels are sampled within a five-year period. The 20% is a minimum and you can test a higher percentage of improved land if you wish.
The minimum testing requirements include:
- Phosphorus (P)
- Potassium (K)
- Magnesium (Mg)
- pH
- Soil Organic Matter (SOM)
Soil testing completed on relevant land after 1st January 2022 can count towards the Universal Action where the results include P, K, Mg and pH. These earlier tests do not need to include Soil Organic Matter, however historic tests are only valid from 5 years of the date of the samples.
Soil analysis and nutrient planning
Your soil results provide the foundation for effective nutrient planning, helping you understand what nutrients are already available and plan applications according to crop and soil requirements.
Regular testing can also help identify where adjustments may be needed, improve nutrient use efficiency and avoid unnecessary fertiliser applications.
The key measures included in a standard soil analysis are outlined below:
| pH | The pH of the soil affects the availability of nutrients to the crop. Target pH varies between soil types and cropping, but for a mineral grassland soil, the target would be a pH of 6.0-6.2. Being out of optimum range will mean nutrient availability is not maximised. |
| P | Phosphate is vital for plant growth. Too little available P will mean stunted growth and too high levels of P could result in nutrients leaching from the soil. For most crops target index is 2. |
| K | Potassium like Phosphate is key in plant growth, it is a key part in the movement of water and nutrient within plant tissues. Where K levels are too low, it can result in poor root development and poor overall growth. Whereas too much K will affect the uptake of other nutrients such as Magnesium and Sulphur along with other vital micronutrients, overall affecting the levels of other needed elements. Target Index is 2-. |
| Mg | Magnesium is important for the conversion of carbon dioxide into glucose, plant food. Too little Mg will cause stunted growth and too much can cause compaction in the soil particles. Target Index is 2. |
| SOM | Soil Organic Matter plays an important role in soil structure, nutrient cycling and water retention. Monitoring SOM can help identify changes in soil condition and inform management decisions to maintain or improve long-term soil health. |
How CXCS can help
Our Agricultural Compliance team can arrange soil testing and help you understand how the results relate to your nutrient planning and regulatory requirements.
For farmers participating in SFS, we can also help you understand the soil testing requirements under Universal Action 1 and ensure your testing programme provides the information you need.
For further help and advice, please contact our Agricultural Compliance team on 01981 590514.