A wide variety of publicly available (online) soil management guidance has developed over the last twenty years to help farmers measure, monitor, manage and improve their soils. It has been developed and promoted by a wide variety of organisations - Defra, NGOs, trade bodies – even supermarkets.
We have looked to collate and present a library of the most recent and authoritative of these resources alongside relevant background detail (date, organisation responsible etc.) here:
Farming rules for water – getting full value from fertilisers and soil
Defra
Soil management regulations for compliance with the Water Framework Directive.
Valuing Your Soil: Practical Guidance for Scottish Farmers
CREW / SRUC
Protection and improvement of farm soils, making farming more profitable.
Cross compliance in England: soil protection standards
Defra
Most recent cross-compliance standards (focus on rules).
Single Payment Scheme Cross Compliance Guidance for Soil Management
Defra / RPA
Practical and rules-based guidance for soil management, soil risk assessment, soil protection and remediation.
Protecting our Water, Soil and Air: A code of good agricultural practice for farmers, growers and land managers
Defra / Natural England in association with Environment Agency
Protection of air, water and soil and meeting legal requirements.
Soil Analysis & Management
Institute of Organic Training and Advice / Defra
Soil analysis guidance.
Single Payment Scheme Cross Compliance Soil Protection Review
Defra
Practical and rules-based guidance for soil management, soil risk assessment, soil protection and remediation.
Single Payment Scheme Cross Compliance Guidance for Soil Management
Defra
Practical and rules-based guidance for soil management, soil risk assessment, soil protection and remediation.
The Soil Code
MAFF / Welsh Office Agriculture Department
A code of good agricultural practice for the protection of soil.