Northern Ireland farming: Half of fields tested in soil scheme

Alex Higgins, the sampling programme project lead, said each farm was unique but that the pH balance of soil in zones tested so far was below recommended levels.

He said variations in the average pH between zones one and two reflected differences in how farms are used and “physical conditions, such as higher rainfall, as you move west”.

However, he added that the average pH in both zones “sits below the optimum levels, which would be most effective at maximising nutrient uptake”.

Making soil more neutral in acid-alkaline terms will also help reduce the run-off of nutrients like nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to water bodies like Lough Neagh.

Scientists have said the amount of phosphorus already settled in the lough will take about 40 years to be naturally depleted.

The scheme’s scientific lead, Dr Rachel Cassidy, said the amount of phosphorus in the soils already tested was above the recommended level.

“Considering ongoing concerns over Lough Neagh, farmers are encouraged to carefully consider their P applications and to use the results in conjunction with the online run-off risk maps, which indicate areas of fields most at risk of nutrient loss during rainfall.”

By the time the scheme is completed in 2026, the aim is that all 700,000 fields in Northern Ireland will have been sampled and mapped.