Last chance for Scottish farmers to enter soil competition

The long-running competition, open to Scottish farmers, highlights the importance of maintaining healthy soils
The long-running competition, open to Scottish farmers, highlights the importance of maintaining healthy soils

Farmers and land managers are being urged to enter a competition which aims to highlight the importance of healthy soils.

The James Hutton Institute has issued the last call for farmers to enter its long-running Best Soil in Show competition.

As part of it, soil samples will be analysed by scientists against compositional, structural, and chemical criteria to test and benchmark the soil.

The competition highlights the importance of maintaining healthy soils to deliver biological, ecological, and ultimately, economic benefits.

Professor Colin Campbell, chief executive of the James Hutton Institute, said: “Soil is integral to our lives.

"It plays a vital role in our food, our homes, our biodiversity, the water we drink and so much more.

"We hope to support land managers in their understanding of how the characteristics and condition of their soil can help them to make informed decisions about its management.”

The James Hutton Institute has over 90 years’ experience in soil and crop research and hosts Scotland’s National Soils Archive.

This is a historic reference of soils in the past and is used to test new analyses and monitor changes in soil over time.

Farmers and land managers must submit soil samples by 31 March 2023.